Mexican tarragon

Sun

Full sun; light afternoon shade is helpful in very hot climates.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then let the soil surface dry between waterings. Established plants tolerate brief dry spells but produce better leaves with occasional deep watering.

Soil

Well-drained sandy or loamy soil of moderate fertility; avoid heavy soil that stays wet, especially in winter.

Height

1.5-3 ft (0.45-0.9 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Small golden-yellow flower heads in clusters from late summer into autumn, sometimes continuing into winter in frost-free climates.

Foliage

Narrow, glossy green leaves with lightly toothed edges and a strong anise or liquorice scent when crushed. Foliage may persist in frost-free climates but dies back with frost.

Growth

Moderate to fast in warm weather.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen
• Fragrant
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.5 ft (0.46 m)

3. After 2 years

   2 ft (0.61 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.2 ft (0.68 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant outdoors after the last frost, once the soil has warmed.
• Water at soil level and avoid leaving containers standing in water.
• Apply a light dressing of compost in spring; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• In zone 8, choose a sheltered, sharply drained position and mulch the crown after the ground cools; winter survival is less reliable in wet soil.
• In colder areas, bring a potted plant into a bright, frost-free place before frost and water sparingly through winter.

Pruning. Pinch young shoot tips in spring and early summer to encourage branching, but stop by midsummer if you want autumn flowers. Cut frost-killed stems back to healthy basal growth in spring.

Pick healthy, fully expanded leaves or snip tender shoot tips once the plant is well established, continuing through the growing season. Leaves are ready when strongly aromatic; use fresh or dry small bunches in an airy, shaded place, and pick edible flowers as they open.

Early spring

Sow seed indoors in warmth and bright light if you need plants for the coming growing season.

Spring

Cut back winter-damaged stems on overwintered plants when new growth appears.

Late spring

Plant out after frost danger has passed and pinch young tips for bushier growth.

Summer

Harvest leaves regularly and water deeply during prolonged dry weather.

Late summer

Leave some stems uncut to develop flower buds.

Autumn

Enjoy and harvest the flowers; move container plants under cover before frost in cold regions.

Winter

Keep protected plants bright and barely moist, and check for aphids and whiteflies.

• Plant beside paths in an herb garden where brushing the leaves releases their scent.
• Use in kitchen-door containers for convenient harvesting and autumn colour.
• Repeat through sunny mixed borders with salvias and ornamental grasses for late-season yellow flowers.
• Add to a potager as a flowering culinary herb that also attracts visiting insects.

Garden styles it suits: Potager (kitchen garden), Herb parterre, Edible landscape, Sensory garden, Pollinator garden and Mexican hacienda.

Plant it with: Rosemary, Common sage, Thyme, Purple coneflower, Autumn sage and Little bluestem.

Wildlife: The open flower heads provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other flower-visiting insects, particularly late in the season.

• Root or crown rot in wet soil: improve drainage, reduce watering and avoid waterlogged winter sites.
• Aphids on tender shoots: rinse off small colonies with water; use insecticidal soap if needed, following the label for edible herbs.
• Whiteflies on overwintered plants: inspect leaf undersides, isolate affected pots and use a labelled insecticidal soap where necessary.
• Winter loss: protect the crown in marginal climates or overwinter a container plant in a bright, frost-free place.

Leaves and flowers are used as food and are not known to be toxic to people in normal culinary amounts; concentrated extracts and medicinal doses are not equivalent to food use. Species-specific safety information for cats, dogs and horses is limited. Marigolds can cause mild digestive upset if eaten and skin irritation from sap, so discourage pets and horses from eating the plant; serious poisoning from casual exposure is not expected.

• French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

  French tarragon has alternate, narrower leaves with smooth edges and inconspicuous greenish flowers; Mexican tarragon has opposite, lightly toothed leaves and conspicuous yellow flower heads.

• Signet marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia)

  Signet marigold has finely divided, fern-like leaves and usually flowers much earlier and more freely through summer; Mexican tarragon has simple, undivided leaves.

Mexican tarragon refers to its Mexican origin and tarragon-like culinary use, while the Latin epithet lucida means shining, referring to its glossy foliage.

Propagation. Grow from seed sown indoors before the last frost, take softwood cuttings during warm weather, or divide established clumps in spring. Root cuttings in a free-draining medium and protect young plants from frost.

Accepted botanical name

Tagetes lucida

Native range

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast and Mexico Southwest.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.