Tarragon
Artemisia dracunculus
📖 About this plant
Perennial herb with narrow, anise-scented leaves essential to French cuisine (béarnaise sauce, fines herbes). French tarragon has the best flavor; Russian tarragon is coarser and less aromatic.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun to partial shade (5-6 hrs)
Every 2-3 days
Moderate (40-60%)
15-25°C
Well-draining, sandy loam (pH 6.0-7.0); poor drainage causes root rot
Light balanced fertilizer in spring; avoid over-feeding
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Central Asia, Siberia, and the Caspian Sea region
- 📏 Max height
- 60-120 cm (24-48 inches)
- 📐 Spread
- 30-45 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White, Green
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic to humans; safe culinary herb. Contains estragole/methylchavicol; mildly toxic to dogs and cats in large quantities.
- 🌱 Propagation
- Division in spring (French tarragon is sterile — must propagate vegetatively); root cuttings
🛡️ Health & Safety
Non-toxic to humans; safe culinary herb. Contains estragole/methylchavicol; mildly toxic to dogs and cats in large quantities.
Common issues
- Root rot from overwatering
- Rust disease
- Powdery mildew
- Vigorous spreading roots
💡 Care tips
- French tarragon has the best flavor and cannot be grown from seed
- Propagate by division or cuttings in spring
- Drought-tolerant once established but prefers even moisture
- Key ingredient in béarnaise sauce and French cuisine