I have been trying to locate seeds or plants. Hard to find. I understand french taragon cannot be grown from seed, is this true?
Where can I obtain plant or Russian taragon?
Thanks Bob
taragon or dragons wort
French tarragon cannot be grown from seed, true.
I purchased one from an herb sale in Nashville. I was awfully happy to see it come back this year as I wasn't able to get any starts from it last year.
This is what Mountain Valley Grower's say about the two different tarragons:
LET THE BUYER BEWARE
Every year a cousin of French Tarragon manages to find its way onto nursery shelves. Often just labeled Tarragon, it is actually a tasteless variety most often referred to as Russian Tarragon.
Why you ask would any one bother to sell a tasteless culinary herb?
Because it can be grown from a seed,i nstead of a cutting, which is preferred by commercial growers.
French Tarragon rarely blooms and, even then, makes only sterile seed. Many times herbs are produced by large nurseries that do so many other plants, like junipers and pansies, that they don't take the time to know their herbs. Just remember your Tarragon should breathe fire like a little dragon.
Of course, they don't have it in stock, now....
Try Possum Creek Herbs in Soddy Daisy, TN. They mail order, have real French Tarragon and their prices are very reasonable.
Oh, thanks, Betty - I went there and ended up with another $30 worth of plants.... *sigh*....
Betty
Thanks for the possum creek site. I looked, but did not buy yet. Will certainly do that in a couple of weeks.
Sylvia
I ain't a lookin! Uh, uh ~ no way... you can't make me! LOL
I have both French and TX tarragon. Both plants and for the first year, I may have found a suitable location to plant the French ~ fingers crossed it will last the summer.
Oh geez, now Texas even has it's own tarragon, lol!
Waalll ~ I jes couldn't think of its' real name at that moment Ma'am but that is what was on the tag when I bought it. Whadda think it'll taste like ~ longhorn???
Its' claim to fame is it can endure the heat/humidity and is a mediocre substitute for the tarragon taste. It is probably the plant and seed that is passed off as tarragon. Tagetes lucida or Mexican Mint marigold... http://www.floridata.com/ref/T/tage_luc.cfm
ROFL! You're great.
Oh, great. That site says this about Fr. tarragon: "Many chefs are now using Mexican tarragon as a substitute for French tarragon, especially in winter when the real thing is hard to get, and in hot climates where French tarragon just won't grow." Hot climates. Just won't grow. Well, that must explain why it's the only herb that is just sitting there, not growing at all - and we haven't hit 100 yet! Guess I'll go back to the nursery and, if they still have any, buy some and pot it up to grow indoors. As a backup, I'll see if I can find the MX tarragon.
I would not waste my money on 'Russian tarragon'. I'd never heard of it, but found it at a well-known nursery. Swiped the leaves to get a smell - and there was none. And besides that, it was no prettier than a weed.
You go TX Tarragon! Anything that can withstand the hot TX summers can call itself anything it wants IMPO ^_^