Tarragon

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), also known as dragon's-wort, is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae related to wormwood. Native to a wide area of the Northern Hemisphere, tarragon is widely used for its aromatic leaves in cooking, particularly in French cuisine.

Description

Tarragon grows to 120-150 cm tall, with slender branches. The leaves are lanceolate, 2-8 cm long and 2-10 mm broad, glossy green, with an entire margin. The flowers are produced in small capitulae 2-4 mm diameter, each capitulum containing up to 40 yellow or greenish-yellow florets.

Cultivation

Tarragon is cultivated for culinary and medicinal purposes. It prefers well-drained soils in sunny, dry locations. In regions where winters are severe, tarragon should be covered with a layer of straw to protect it from freezing.

Culinary uses

Tarragon is one of the four fines herbes of French cooking, and particularly suitable for chicken, fish and egg dishes. Tarragon is one of the main components of Béarnaise sauce. Fresh, lightly bruised sprigs of tarragon are steeped in vinegar to produce tarragon vinegar.

Medicinal uses

Tarragon has been used as a traditional remedy for toothaches because of its numbing effect. It is also used as a digestive tonic and to stimulate the appetite.

See also

• List of culinary herbs and spices
• French cuisine