Mexican tarragon is native to the hillside and woodlands of Mexico and South America, where it is a perennial. In zones colder than 8 it is grown as an annual. It has cheerful yellow composite flowers that appear in the late spring and early fall. Plant it in the full sun in light well-drained soils. It tolerates most soil types including clay; however, it cannot grow in full shade and is not particularly cold hardy. Mexican Tarragon pairs well in vegetable gardens with tomatoes or you can plant them in an herb garden, a border front, or along a pathway or patio. Propagate this plant by seed. The plant is often used in tea, to color foods, and as a substitute for tarragon; however, it can be harmful if eaten in large amounts. The juice, sap, or thorns of these plants may cause a painful skin rash or irritation. Wash the affected area of skin with soap and water as soon as possible after contact. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Slugs and snails can be a problem especially for seedlings. Botrytis is an occasional disease problem. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Tagetes .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 6 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Broad; Erect; Multi-stemmed
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Linear; Oblong
Leaf margin
Denticulate
Leaf feel
Smooth
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves are linear to oblong, about 3 inches long, and shiny medium green.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Corymb; Head
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Sweetly scented, yellow, daisy-like flowers appear in August and September. Dead-heading will prolong flowering. Flowers display clusters of small golden yellow flower heads on the ends of the stems. The flower heads are 1⁄2 inch across and have 3 to 5 golden-yellow ray florets.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Black
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit detail
Achenes black, narrowly cylindrical; pappus of 1 to 3 setae and 7 to 9 much shorter scales with ciliate margins.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Mexico to Honduras
Attracts
Butterflies; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Flowers
Fruit type
Achene
Edibility
Flowers are used to make tea. Leaves are used fresh or dried in soups and sauces. Their flavor is similar to anise.
Uses (ethnobotany)
The leaves were used in the flavoring of 'chocolatl', the cocoa-based drink of the Aztecs.