Glenn Andrews - Growing & Using Tarragon

by Glenn Andrews

The French, who certainly know about flavor, call tarragon the king of herbs. It has a somewhat licorice-like taste and a gift for making almost any food taste wonderful!

There is a pitfall you must be very careful not to fall into, though: There are two tarragons. The one you want, Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa, is sometimes called true French tarragon. The other, Artemisia dracunculoides, is known as Russian tarragon. It is to be avoided! I have read that Russian tarragon has a milder taste, and is more bitter, than the French. To me, however, it has no taste at all.

Actually, theres one more tarragon you should know about: Mexican tarragon (Tagetes lucida), a member of the marigold family. It has a slightly stronger flavor than the French variety, with an overtone of cinnamon, but is a fairly good substitute for it. Some people even prefer it. The Mexican tarragon is hardier (its sometimes known as winter tarragon), and makes a good-looking plant in the garden, showy and with yellow flowers. Its not easy to find, but youll find a source on page 32.

Despite its common name, French tarragon started out in Siberia. Somehow, it made its way in a flavorful form to Germany, and from there to France. It wasnt introduced into England until the 15th century, when it appeared only in the royal gardens. In the 16th century, it began to be used in popular cooking outside of royal circles. It wasnt until the 19th century that it came to the United States, brought by colonists.

The name tarragon, and its version estragon in the Romance languages and in Germany, is said to come from the Latin draco, meaning dragon.This is because it was widely used in ages past to fend off dragons.This seems to have worked, judging by the current shortage of dragons in the world. Another belief is that the Latin name refers to the shape of the roots. Still a third version of the source of the name: Some believe that its a corruption of tarkhun, an Arabic word. Take your pick!

Tarragon is unusual in that it does not seed. Ever. To grow tarragon you must have a cutting or division from an existing plant. If you see seeds for tarragon, they are probably for Russian tarragon, which does seed (this is one way to tell them apart), and grows easily from those seeds. Mexican tarragon also grows from seeds or cuttings.

For cooking, you want to find French tarragon (which, for simplicity, we will call tarragon from now on). It isnt always easy to find the right plants. Some companies actually market Russian tarragon seed labeled simply TARRAGON, but all you have to know to protect yourself is that true French tarragon cannot reproduce from seed.

Youll find both French and Russian tarragon at various nurseries and plant shops and even at many supermarkets. With luck, they will be labeled. My advice to you is to distrust the labels, though. There are few things as disappointing as learning the hard way (when you use it) that you have a tarragon that has no taste. So ask permission to break off a leaf, scrunch it between your fingers, smell it, then taste it. Better yet, find a trustworthy friend who grows tarragon and get a cutting you know is the right stuff.

Because of tarragons tenderness, cuttings are best taken from stems. For the same reason, its best to use hardwood cuttings, from the previous years growth, or perhaps sturdy semisoft-wood cuttings, from the current years growth. Be sure to take branch tips, preferably with a terminal bud. The best time to take cuttings is in summer when the plant is strong. If you are planting the cuttings outdoors, put them in the ground early enough in the season to give them time to develop before cold weather sets in.

There are two ways to root-divide your tarragon.

The first method is to start in early spring by loosening dirt around the roots. Then use a spade to cut through the roots to make a division, lifting it out of the ground with the spade. If your tarragon is healthy, replace dirt around the remaining roots. Rinse the dirt off the roots of the division and set in a pot of light soil, preferably with added perlite, covering only the roots. Water with care, but avoiding saturating. Most tarragons die not from cold but from too much moisture rotting the roots.

The second method of root division will yield several smaller plants rather than two larger ones. When new shoots start to show through the soil, dig up the entire plant and wash away the soil from the roots. Any root that has a shoot attached can be separated and replanted. If there are rotted roots, cut them away, but do not root-trim the plant otherwise. Replant the separated plants and in approximately two weeks you should have a few new plants to share with friends.

Even if you dont want to give away divisions, its a good idea to divide the plant every few years anyway, as the tangled roots and woody stems make the plants seem tired and less vigorous. In that case, choose the healthiest-looking pieces of root to replant.

Tarragon will go dormant over the winter, but should be up again and thriving by springtime. Dont be downhearted if your plant shows no signs of life early. Once the weather and the soil warm up, it should bound right back.

Some say to mulch your plant heavily when winter comes, but there are others who say not to bother. In fact, I gave a plant years ago to some friends who live in Maine, where 40-below weather is not at all uncommon, and it has thrived without any winter overcoat at all. It does help, though, to have the plant in a spot where it will be protected from harsh, cold winds. The farther north you are, and the more exposed your garden, the more you should consider mulching. Dried leaves, pine needles, evergreen boughs, straw, even matted-down newspapers will make a good mulch. The most important thing, again, is to make sure the plant is not overwatered. Too much water will rot the roots and kill the plant.

The same is true if you are in a very warm climate Florida, for instance.Your main concern will be to avoid overwatering. So if you have a lawn sprinkler system, as most Floridians and Californians do, position your tarragon where it will be protected from any deluges. Cut it back from time to time to about half (and see below for how to preserve what you take off).

The ideal spot in your garden for French tarragon is sunny but sheltered. Full sun is best, but your plant will tolerate partial light shade. The soil should be fairly rich, deeply dug, and definitely well drained. Position the plants so the level of soil is 1 to 1! inches above the top of the roots. Tarragon prefers a pH of 5.5 6.5, so if your soil tends to be acidic, mix in some wood ash in to help it thrive.

You can harvest leaves or sprigs throughout the growing season. But stop in early fall to give the plant a chance to recover before winter sets in. Most herbalists say you should pick in early morning after the dew has dried. The essential oils in herbs are strongest then. Once you have picked the leaves, wash to remove any dirt and set on a clean towel or paper towel to dry. Use immediately or preserve.

There are several ways to preserve the leaves you remove from the plants.

First, you can immerse them in wine or vinegar (see page 7). The color will fade a bit, but the flavor will be fine. You can then use the wine or vinegar in cooking and also use the leaves as you would fresh tarragon.