It is a plant native to Sri lanka preserving the indigenous medicine. When the root or tuber is crushed, it resembles a horse’s urine. For this reason, it is also called “Horse odor” thus, the Amukkara is easier to detect by smell.
Botanical Name | Withania somnifera |
Family | Solanaceae |
Genus | Withania |
The plant is known as “Asoda”in the plant grows for many years as a shrub.it height is about one meter the Amukkara leaf is oval, with a dark green colour. The flowers of this plant are light green there are 3-6 stitches. The back of the flower petals are covered with an owl, Amukkara fruit is dark reddish and spherical. The seeds inside the nuts are brown. Also the nuts are covered with small leaves. It is common in Srilanka, India, the Mediterranean and South Africa. It grows well in the dry zone of Srilanka, especially in dry areas. In particular, this will grow well in abandoned land.
As a conservation centre there are Peradeniya Botanic gardens, Navinna Bandaranayake Memorial Ayurvedic Research Institute and herbal garden at Bathgoda,Pallekele and Girandurukotte.
Through the use of seeds, cultivation thrives in march and April the nursery should be prepared and washed and dried until the ripeness of the collected seeds later, at the time of planting the seeds are washed. For 1-10 month the soil around it should be composted. Then after 18 months the harvest can be done. From a well grown Amukkara tree after flowering the roots of this plant are removed and dried in the air.