Tarragon - French

• Type: perennial, zones 5 to 7; winter annual in zones 8 and 9
• Planting time: spring, fall
• Features: strongly aromatic and flavorful, dark-green leaves, small white flowers
• Light: full sun; afternoon shade is helpful where sun is intense
• Soil: well drained on the dry side, pH 6.5 to 7
• Height: 24 inches
• Spacing: 18 inches
• Garden use: herb garden or other sunny bed; planted more for flavor than aesthetic use
• Culinary use: frequently used with carrots, salad dressings, chicken, fish, and Bearnaise sauce, as well as the fines herbes; leaves can be dried for off-season use, but fresh is best

French tarragon is the delicately flavored herb that has made tarragon chicken salad a staple of ladies’ luncheons. Unlike the seed-grown tarragons that can be rather tasteless, French tarragon must be grown from cuttings and purchased as a plant. In hot climates give this plant some shade. French tarragon spreads to make a mass of stems and works well in containers where it will not trail, but spill over the edge of a pot. Containers help keep the foliage dry, too, which really helps in humid climates.