Price
Available
Hurry up, only 5 items left in stock.
Ships within
-
2 business days
Arrives
Add Your Zip Code
to:
ZIP
Questions? Contact our plant experts
Benny the Wise
knows all answers to your questions
Russian Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
Russian Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), also known as Russian or Wild Tarragon, is a vigorous, hardy perennial herb prized for its aromatic, slender lance-shaped leaves that offer a milder, sometimes slightly bitter flavor compared to French tarragon. Typically growing between 2 to 4 feet tall with an upright, bushy habit, Russian Tarragon thrives from seed and produces viable flowers and seeds, unlike the sterile French variety. Its foliage is light to medium green and emits a subtle anise-like aroma, making it valued for culinary seasoning, herbal teas, and traditional medicinal uses across its native Eurasian range.
Characteristics
Foliage: Narrow, lanceolate leaves, 2 to 4 inches long, with a sweet, anise-like scent; milder flavor than French tarragon.
Growth Habit: Upright, bushy perennial with ribbed, hairless stems reaching 2 to 4 feet tall.
Flowers: Produces small, yellow-green tubular florets in loose, elongated panicles during summer, attractive to pollinators.
Hardiness: Adapted to USDA zones 3–8, thriving in well-drained soils with full sun to partial shade.
Culinary and Practical Uses
Used fresh or dried to flavor soups, sauces, salads, vinegars, and marinades with a subtler taste than French tarragon.
Often grown as a substitute or companion when French tarragon is unavailable, appreciated for its resilience and ease of cultivation.
Beyond cooking, has traditional medicinal applications such as digestive aid and anti-inflammatory properties.
Growing Tips
Prefers rich, moist but well-drained soils; tolerates neutral to alkaline pH and moderate drought once established.
Benefits from full sun but will tolerate partial shade, especially in warmer climates.
Requires cutting back after flowering to maintain vigor.
Spreads slowly by underground rhizomes, which can help in perennial herb garden designs.
Shipping Info
Russian Tarragon seeds ship as high-quality, viable seed ready for spring planting, packaged with care to ensure a successful start for this versatile, hardy herb.
Growing Zones
3c - 8b
Low Temperature
-20°F
High Temperature
80°F
Fragrant
Yes
Polinator Required
No
Polinator Friendly
Yes
Flower Color
Green Yellow
Growth Rate
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained loam or sandy soil, neutral to slightly alkaline pH; Russian tarragon tolerates poorer soils better than French tarragon
Moisture
Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established; avoid soggy conditions
Sun Exposure
Full sun; tolerates partial shade but flavor and growth best in sun
Mature Spread
1–2 ft
Mature Height
2–4 ft
Bloom Period
Summer into early fall; produces pale yellow-green flowers
Pruning Time
Pinch back tips regularly to encourage bushier growth and harvest
Pet Safe
No
Perennial / Annual
Perennial
Evergreen / Deciduous
Deciduous
Shop Our Bestsellers
Bring life to your garden with the plants everyone’s raving about! These bestsellers are customer favorites for their beauty, resilience, and ability to thrive in a variety of spaces.
