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How to Grow Tarragons USA | Planting & Establishment

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Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

A bushy tarragon shrub — “Artemisia dracunculus Bylica estragon 2021-04-27 01” by Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

7 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Ready in
42–56 days
Site
soil pH 6.5–7
Biggest risk
Honey fungus

In the UK, tarragons are ready to harvest 42–56 days after planting.

Tarragons (Artemisia dracunculus) — perennial.

Unlike an annual crop, the work here is front-loaded into establishment: get the planting and the site right and the same plants crop for several seasons.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.

Soil & Growing Conditions

Tarragon growing in its natural habitat by a lake — “Artemisia dracunculus 1” by Thayne Tuason is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Artemisia dracunculus 1” by Thayne Tuason is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Soil pH range

6.5 7

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

A bushy tarragon shrub — “Artemisia dracunculus Bylica estragon 2021-04-27 01” by Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Artemisia dracunculus Bylica estragon 2021-04-27 01” by Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Stage BBCH Notes
Propagation 0 Propagate Russian tarragon by seed, French tarragon by semi-hardwood cuttings or division in late summer (RHS).
Establishment 3 Establishes as an upright, columnar perennial in full sun on well-drained soil, sheltered from wet winters (RHS).
Basal pruning 6 Cut back to new basal shoots in mid to late spring to maintain vigour (RHS).
Mature clump 9 Reaches full maturity over 2-5 years, 0.5-1m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread (RHS).

Quick Facts

Close-up of narrow tarragon leaves — “Artemisia dracunculus - Botanischer Garten Mainz IMG 5516” by Oceancetaceen - Alice Chodura is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Artemisia dracunculus - Botanischer Garten Mainz IMG 5516” by Oceancetaceen - Alice Chodura is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Soil pH 6.5 - 7
Optimal growing temp 12-22C
Minimum survivable temp -15C
Time to harvest 42-56 days
Drainage Free-draining
Lifecycle perennial
Edible parts leaves

At a Glance

A bushy tarragon shrub — “Artemisia dracunculus Bylica estragon 2021-04-27 01” by Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Artemisia dracunculus Bylica estragon 2021-04-27 01” by Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Artemisia dracunculus Tarragon Honey fungus Powdery mildew Tarragon rust DISEASES

Harvest & Storage

Close-up of narrow tarragon leaves — “Artemisia dracunculus - Botanischer Garten Mainz IMG 5516” by Oceancetaceen - Alice Chodura is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Artemisia dracunculus - Botanischer Garten Mainz IMG 5516” by Oceancetaceen - Alice Chodura is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: RHS: harvest leaves "when new growth starts in spring and continue into autumn"; pick from shoot tips regularly to encourage fresh growth, using young leaves for best flavour. USU: for drying, "the first harvest is 6 to 8 weeks after growth has begun"; sprigs harvested as needed through the season, each about one-third the stem length; for drying, harvest before the first fall frost.

Storage

Best used fresh; can be dried for longer storage

Diseases

Tarragon seedheads on flowering stems — “Artemisia dracunculus estragon” by Pau Pámies Grácia is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Artemisia dracunculus estragon” by Pau Pámies Grácia is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Honey fungus

Armillaria spp.

RHS Artemisia dracunculus plant page: "May be susceptible to honey fungus".

RHS names this directly.

Tarragon rust
low

RHS names this directly.

References

  1. country=INTL

  2. country=INTL

  3. country=UK

  4. country=UK

  5. country=UK

  6. country=UK

  7. country=USA

7 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do tarragons take to grow?

Typically 42–56 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

What soil pH do tarragons need?

A pH of about 6.5–7. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect tarragons?

Our data links 3 diseases to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Almost everything on this page resolves to your own frost dates rather than the calendar — the last spring frost moves by roughly two months between zone 3 and zone 10. The USA Garden Planner works from your zone so the timing is already decided before the season starts.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team

US vegetable growing guides · Checked against USDA & Cooperative Extension guidance

Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real US growing conditions, and checked against USDA hardiness and frost-date data and Cooperative Extension growing advice before publication.

Vegetable Growing Guides USA

Last verified 2026-08-29

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