French Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus 'Sativa')
ar-tem-EE-zsa dracunculus 'Sativa'

Deciduous Perennial Upright in the Asteraceae Family
True French tarragon — the classic culinary herb with a distinctive anise flavor, far superior to the flavorless Russian tarragon often sold in its place.

Artemisia dracunculus 'Sativa' is true French tarragon, the culinary herb prized for its distinctive anise/licorice-like flavor — far more flavorful than the coarser, nearly flavorless Russian tarragon (Artemisia dracunculoides) sometimes sold in its place. It forms an upright clump of narrow, aromatic green leaves and rarely flowers, since it's grown for foliage, not ornament. French tarragon almost never sets viable seed, so true plants must be propagated by division or cuttings rather than started from seed — a useful way to tell it apart from Russian tarragon, which does grow readily from seed.

Pros

  • Classic culinary herb with a distinctive anise/licorice flavor prized in French cooking
  • Aromatic foliage; genuinely deer- and pest-resistant
  • Low-growing, easy to tuck into a kitchen garden or container near the door

Cons

  • Needs excellent drainage — wet soil, especially over winter, is the most common cause of plant loss
  • Must be propagated by division or cuttings, not seed, since it rarely sets viable seed
  • Benefits from division every 3-4 years and may need periodic replacement as vigor declines
Highlights

The true culinary tarragon of French cuisine, valued for its distinctive anise flavor — easily confused with the inferior, flavorless Russian tarragon, but genuine 'Sativa' rarely sets seed and must be propagated by division or cuttings.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 18 - 36 inches tall. 18 - 24 inches wide.
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium:

Prefers to dry out between waterings and tolerates drought well once established. Poor drainage, especially in winter, is the most common cause of plant loss.
Zones 5a - 9a (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Dry, Filler, Full Sun, Full Sun, Herb, Medium, Perennial
Bloom Period Rarely flowers
Flower Color Non-Flowering
Foliage Color Green
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

A natural fit for an herb garden alongside other culinary herbs such as thyme, sage, chives, and parsley, or tucked into a container near the kitchen for easy harvesting.
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 02/05 - 05/10
2024 : 02/08 - 06/15
2023 : 04/13 - 06/04

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!