Mexican Tarragon
Mexican tarragon, also known as Tagetes lucida or Mexican mint marigold, is a vibrant herb native to Mexico and Central America. It's a popular substitute for French tarragon in warmer climates where French tarragon struggles to thrive. This herb is not only valued for its culinary uses but also for its role in traditional medicine and cultural practices.
Culinary Uses: Mexican tarragon has a similar flavor profile to French tarragon but with a hint of anise. Its leaves are slightly more robust and have a peppery taste, making them ideal for flavoring meats, seafood, and egg dishes. It's also commonly used to season soups and sauces and can be a flavorful addition to herbal butters and vinegars. The vibrant, golden-yellow flowers are edible as well and make a decorative, flavorful garnish for salads and desserts.
Growing and Harvesting: Mexican tarragon is a perennial in warm climates (USDA zones 9-11) and can be grown as an annual in cooler areas. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil but is generally quite hardy and drought-resistant once established. The plant blooms from late summer into fall, providing bright yellow flowers that are attractive to bees and butterflies.
- Growing Season: Most herbs and edible flowers have a peak growing season that starts in Spring and extend through Fall. Some herbs, such as parsley and cilantro, can grow year round in more mild climates and require replenishing throughout the year.
- Harvest Method: Take frequent cuttings throughout the growing season. For mild climates, a final harvest at the end of the Summer allows the herb to rebound again in Spring after a season of dormancy.
- First Harvest: Herbs grow slower and can take 1-2 months to get to a harvesting stage.
- Final Harvest: Herbs and Floral will last easily through a season. Many varieties are perennials and will become dormant in the Winter and then pop back into action in the Spring.
- Best Planted Wall Placement: As herbs mature, they can grow many roots which means they may need to be watered more often. However, herbs like to dry out between watering, so it's best to move the plants to the bottom of the Planted Wall so they do not take the water from varieties that prefer to stay moist.
We grow with the seasons! So in most climates, you will be able to grow year round. Typically most Herbs prefer warmer temperatures and will be dormant or grow very slowly in the Winter. There are different edible floral varieties that grow throughout the seasons.
You want to be aware of the extreme temperature ranges in your region. If you follow the guidelines below, you will be safe:
COLD CLIMATES
- If you live in a location where the temperatures dip below freezing, then you will want to wait to grow herbs until night temperatures are in the 50's consistently.
- On the occasional dips into the 40's or 30's, you can cover with a sheet or bring them indoors for that time period. The breeze is good for plants and helps to keep bugs at bay so growing outdoors is optimal.
WARM CLIMATES:
- If you live where it reaches above 90 degrees consistently), you'll want to grow heat tolerant fruiting plants (tomatoes and peppers) and herbs (basil, mint, rosemary) primarily.
To find out what extreme temperatures your location experiences, check out the USDA zone for your region.
We always ship our organic seedlings at their peak for transplant which means they can be held before shipping. We typically ship plants according to the following schedule:
CA - ship Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
US states outside of CA - ship Mondays and Tuesdays.
Outside of US - we do not currently ship outside of the US.
For more information, refer to our shipping policy.
Don't worry we tend to over-communicate the details when it comes to logistics. You'll know when orders (both seedlings and other garden products) are shipped.
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Here's How it Works
Choose What to Grow
Choose seedlings from our organic seedling shop and add the planting service by adding Planted Produce to the cart.
We Plant & Ship
We plant the seedlings for you using fresh organic soil & organic nutrients, package them with loving care and ship direct to your home.
Arrives Ready to Grow
Open the box and slip your plants into the Planted Wall or container planters in your patio garden. Start harvesting in 3 weeks!