Growing French Tarragon: Why the Seed Packet Gives You the Wrong Plant
Tarragon seed almost always grows the milder Russian type. French tarragon comes from cuttings or division, and wet roots are its main threat.
Plenty of gardeners sow a packet labelled tarragon, raise a tall, healthy plant, and then find it tastes faintly grassy. The seed did exactly what it should. It just grew a different tarragon.
French tarragon, the one cooks want, rarely flowers or sets seed, so it’s grown from cuttings and divisions of existing plants. Seed sold as tarragon is almost always the Russian type, which is hardier and much milder. The French plant is short-lived and suffers in wet soil, so the practical skill is keeping a young plant coming along.
Why can’t you grow French tarragon from seed?
Because it rarely flowers, and any seed it sets is generally not viable. The Royal Horticultural Society says French tarragon is “shy to flower and set seed” and “tends not to produce viable seed in the UK,” so seed is generally not sold. Utah State University Extension says it “does not produce viable seed,” and that growing from seed “typically results in the less flavorful Russian tarragon.”
A 2011 Rutgers paper on tarragon chemistry, summarising earlier studies, notes that French tarragon is “a sterile tetraploid that is reproduced clonally.”
Both are the same species, Artemisia dracunculus, so look for the name French tarragon or the cultivar ‘Sativa’. NC State Extension notes that plain A. dracunculus, with no variety named, refers to wild tarragon with “minimal fragrance.”
How do you tell French from Russian tarragon?
Crush a leaf and smell it. The RHS suggests buying tarragon plants in person so you can check the aroma first.
The same 2011 paper notes that estragole, the compound the paper says the anise flavour has been attributed to, makes up 60 to 81% of French tarragon’s essential oil, while in most Russian strains it is “nearly absent.” A French leaf smells clearly of anise, and a Russian one is far milder and grassier.
How the three plants sold as tarragon compare:
| French tarragon | Russian tarragon | Mexican tarragon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | A. dracunculus ‘Sativa’ | A. dracunculus, also listed as ‘Inodora’ | Tagetes lucida, a marigold |
| Grown from | Cuttings or division | Seed | Seed or small plants |
| Flavour | Peppery with a hint of liquorice (RHS) | Grassy with a slight bitterness (RHS) | Anise, with mint and cinnamon notes (UF) |
| Height | 50 to 75 cm (RHS) | About 1 m (RHS) | 60 to 90 cm (UF) |
| Weak point | Wet winters, humid summers | Waterlogged soil | Hard frost |
| Lifespan | Short-lived; divide every 2 to 3 years (USU) | Hardy perennial (RHS) | Grown as an annual where winters are cold |
(The US extension figures in this post are converted from inches and Fahrenheit.)
What if you already have Russian tarragon?
It’s still a useful plant. The RHS calls Russian tarragon a hardy perennial with a peppery flavour that copes far better with UK winters. Care won’t bring the anise flavour, though, since estragole is nearly absent in most Russian strains. Keep it as a milder herb, or replace it with a French plant chosen by scent.
How do you propagate French tarragon?
By division or stem cuttings. The RHS says division is usually easier.
Division. Lift the clump in spring, just as the new shoot tips appear. USU warns that tarragon roots are brittle, so cut them apart with a knife instead of a spade or hoe. Each parent should give three to five new plants.
Cuttings. USU suggests 10 to 15 cm lengths of young stem, collected early in the morning. Cut below a leaf joint, strip the lower third of the leaves, dip in rooting hormone, and keep warm and moist until roots form. The RHS times softwood cuttings for summer, from new growth.
How long does French tarragon last?
Only a few years at its best. The RHS calls tarragon, especially the French type, a short-lived perennial. USU says to renovate French tarragon every 2 to 3 years “to maintain flavor and vigorous growth,” and NC State gives 2 to 4 years for the species as a whole. Dividing around the third spring fits both.
Why does French tarragon die?
Usually from wet roots. NC State, writing about the species, says plants “may decline during wet, humid summers or cold, wet winters,” and both NC State and USU flag root rot in poorly drained soil.
USU rates French tarragon winter hardy to USDA zone 4 (winter lows of about minus 30 °C), with winter mulch in some climates, yet the RHS says it struggles in UK winters, and the University of Florida calls it “notoriously difficult to grow in warm climates.” Moisture looks like the common thread, whether it comes as winter rain or summer humidity.
That gives a rough verdict by climate:
- Wet-winter gardens, such as much of the UK: grow French tarragon in a pot at least 20 cm wide and deep, with up to 25% grit mixed into the compost, as the RHS suggests, and move it somewhere dry and sheltered over winter.
- Dry gardens with cold winters: it can stay in the ground. USU suggests letting the soil dry between waterings once plants are established, and partial shade where summer days pass about 32°C.
- Humid subtropical gardens, such as Florida’s: French tarragon struggles, and Mexican tarragon is the practical swap.
Is Mexican tarragon a good substitute?
In the kitchen, mostly yes. UF says Mexican tarragon tolerates Florida’s summer heat and humidity and has an anise flavour “very similar to its French cousin,” and NC State lists it as a substitute for tarragon. UF calls it mint marigold or Mexican marigold, and its seeds sprout in about two weeks.
A hard freeze kills it to the ground, though UF says it usually regrows in spring.
How do you use the harvest?
Pick young shoot tips from spring to autumn, as the RHS suggests, and use them fresh. The RHS says dried leaves have a milder flavour, and freezing is another option. UF gives the same advice for Mexican tarragon, noting that drying and heat dull the flavour, so add it at the end of cooking.
Is tarragon safe to eat and handle?
In normal kitchen amounts, yes. NC State says occasional eating of tarragon “in small culinary quantities is thought to be safe,” though the essential oils, particularly in the roots, can cause contact dermatitis. It also lists tarragon as poisonous to dogs, cats and horses if they eat enough of it.
For Mexican tarragon, NC State says large amounts can be harmful and the sap may irritate skin, and UF advises caution if daisy-family plants give you a skin rash.
What this means for you
- Skip the seed packet if you want the classic flavour. Buy a French tarragon plant, and crush a leaf first to check for anise.
- Divide in spring as shoots appear, cutting brittle roots with a knife, or root stem cuttings from new growth.
- Renew every 2 to 3 years so you always have a young plant.
- Keep the roots dry, with sharp drainage and a pot you can shelter in wet winters.
- Use it fresh, picking young tips and adding Mexican tarragon late in cooking.
Have you grown tarragon from seed and wondered where the flavour went? Hit reply and tell us.
How we made this: AI tools helped us research and draft this post. We checked every figure, quote and link against its original source before publishing. Figures are as of 8 November 2026.
Grown with intention by Dynamic Nexus Garden.