Tarragon

Tarragon is one of the four ingredients—along with parsley, chives and chervil— in fines herbes used in classic French cooking, but it can stand on its own as an aromatic flavoring for meat, fish, eggs, and many vegetable dishes. Plants must be acquired carefully to avoid those that lack flavor.

True tarragon

Culinary tarragon cannot be grown reliably from seed. It must be planted from a clone of an existing plant known to be French tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus sativa. This hybrid, known as French tarragon, rarely produces viable, reliable seeds
Russian tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus, does grow from seed, but this plant often has bitter flavor or none at all. Mexican tarragon is from a completely different species, Tagetes lucida, and only slightly resembles French tarragon in taste.
It is important to purchase a labeled plant or to acquire a cutting or root division from a friend who has the true French tarragon, if you are using it for culinary purposes.
Culinary tarragon is known for its somewhat sweet flavor with anise-like overtones.

Tender leaves

Mature French tarragon has narrow, 2-in. long leaves and grows to about 2 ft. high.
Because of its sprawling nature, it is attractive in a pot. While spreading slowly by rhizomes, it is easy to keep in check in a container. In any situation, give it well-drained soil in a sunny location.
Tarragon grows best with regular water during the hottest summer months so that leaves remain succulent and aromatic for culinary purposes. Roots rot in soggy soil.
Plants withstand long, dry periods and freezing temperatures when planted in the ground but not as easily in pots.
If flowers appear, sheer back stems or pinch back buds to retain the most leaf flavor.
Plants can be divided and replanted every 3-4 years.

Care

Pests are rarely a problem although slugs and snails may appear. Control them with handpicking or trap them under a board and dispose them.
Tarragon may be given a light dose of fish emulsion, diluted with water, according to the manufacturer’s direction, every six to eight weeks during the growing season.
Harvest individual leaves or stems as needed for culinary use.
Mark the location of tarragon plants growing in garden beds. After stems die back in winter, plants cannot be seen and may be forgotten and damaged before they emerge again in spring.

Additional Information

April 2022