French tarragon
Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa
Also known as: Estragon, Dragon's wort, True tarragon
Quick facts
- Category
- herbs woody
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Days to harvest
- 90 to 120 days
- Harvest type
- continuous production over weeks or months
- Spacing
- 50 cm between plants
Environment
- Temperature
- 10–26°C
- pH
- 6.5 to 7.5
- EC (hydroponic)
- 1 to 1.6 mS/cm
- Daily light
- 12 to 20 mol/m²/day
Climate and zones
- USDA zones
- 4 to 9 (winter low around -34°C or warmer)
- Frost tolerance
- frost hardy (handles regular frost)
- Season
- cool (spring and fall crops)
Viable growing environments:
- outdoor year-round (in zone)
- outdoor in growing season (annual)
- unheated greenhouse / hoop house
- heated greenhouse
- indoor (heated home)
- indoor hydroponics under grow lights
USDA zone bounds reflect outdoor year-round survival. Anywhere outside the bounded zone range, this crop still grows as an annual in the warm months (outdoor_seasonal), under cover (greenhouse), or indoors under lights.
Growing systems
French tarragon works in:
- media bed (ebb and flow)
- wicking bed
- soil bed
- drip / Dutch buckets
Growing media
The substrate the roots sit in. Choice depends on the system (clay pebbles don't fit NFT channels; rockwool isn't used in media beds) and the crop (french tarragon works in the media listed below).
| Medium | pH effect | Water retention | Bacterial surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soil-based mix (Potting soil) | varies by source | high | high |
| Coco coir (Coconut coir) | slightly acidic | high | moderate |
| Perlite (Expanded volcanic glass) | neutral / inert | very low | low |
Bacterial surface area matters for aquaponics: clay pebbles, lava rock, and pumice double as biofilter substrate. Low-surface media (rockwool, perlite, pea gravel) work in hydroponics but need a separate biofilter in aquaponics.
Nutrient demand by stage
NPK ratios are relative weights at each growth stage; the nutrient mix calculator scales them to absolute grams or ml. EC targets shift through the plant's life: seedlings need a much lighter solution than fruiting adults.
| Stage | N | P | K | EC target (mS/cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| seedling | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 |
| vegetative | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1.4 |
Aquaponics suitability
Compatible with typical aquaponics nutrient profiles. Fish waste provides enough nitrogen for healthy growth; supplemental potassium, calcium, and iron may still be needed depending on fish stocking density.
Care notes
A moderately demanding perennial herb. EC 1.0-1.8 mS/cm. pH 6.0-7.5. Temperature: 15–25°C (cool to moderate; struggles in sustained heat above 30°C and high humidity). Full sun (DLI 16-22 mol/m2/day). Well-drained media is critical; tarragon roots rot in waterlogged conditions. Container (15 L) with perlite or expanded clay. Propagation ONLY by division of existing clumps or stem cuttings; if someone offers you tarragon seeds, it's the flavorless Russian type. Purchase a confirmed French tarragon plant from a reputable herb nursery. Harvest by cutting stem tips; the plant branches when pinched. The flavor is best in fresh leaves; dried tarragon is acceptable but loses much of the anise complexity. For tarragon vinegar: pack fresh tarragon sprigs into a bottle, cover with white wine vinegar, steep for 2-4 weeks. The resulting vinegar is indispensable for vinaigrettes and bearnaise. French tarragon goes dormant in winter; the above-ground growth dies back and new shoots emerge in spring.
Plan a setup with French tarragon
Verified against: rhs-uk, u-florida-ifas, herb-society-of-america. Last reviewed 2026-05-15.