USGrowersGuide

Plants · Herbs

Tarragon planting zones

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) is a perennial. By the type table below, at least one type lives through winter in the ground in 3a–13b, which is nearly every US garden. Below the types are the dates that decide when it goes out and when it comes in: each zone’s median last spring freeze and first fall freeze, from NOAA records.

Published October 25, 2026 · Cite this page

The types

Which tarragon to grow

Type Hardy in the ground Notes
French tarragon Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa 4a to 8b, then too hot or humid Grown only from cuttings or division: its flowers are sterile (Illinois). Clemson says true tarragon is very difficult to grow in the South.
Russian tarragon Artemisia dracunculus (sold as seed) 3a to 9a, then too hot or humid Taller and coarser, with inferior flavor (Illinois). Mississippi State says it takes heat and humidity better than French tarragon.
Mexican tarragon Tagetes lucida (Mexican mint marigold) 8b no warm-end limit A heat- and drought-tolerant substitute for true tarragon (Clemson). Texas A&M says it dies back to the ground with the first freeze.

Zone ranges are a judgement: horticultural convention set beside what the sources below say, not a measurement. They agree with our What survives my winter tool. In the next table the freeze dates are measured, and the count of hardy types comes from these judged ranges.

Zone by zone

Where tarragon lives through winter, and when the freezes fall

Each date is the median across every NOAA station the zone’s ZIP codes cite, 1991–2020 normals. The middle half of those stations falls within the range shown beside it.

Zone Types hardy in the ground Last spring freeze First fall freeze
3a 1 of 3 only 10 stations with comparable freeze dates — too few to publish a date
3b 1 of 3 May 18 · middle half May 15 – May 25 September 23 · middle half September 17 – September 26
4a 2 of 3 May 15 · middle half May 10 – May 21 September 27 · middle half September 22 – September 30
4b 2 of 3 May 11 · middle half May 5 – May 23 September 30 · middle half September 23 – October 3
5a 2 of 3 May 9 · middle half May 1 – May 20 October 2 · middle half September 26 – October 7
5b 2 of 3 May 4 · middle half April 27 – May 15 October 8 · middle half October 1 – October 14
6a 2 of 3 May 1 · middle half April 24 – May 9 October 14 · middle half October 5 – October 20
6b 2 of 3 April 25 · middle half April 17 – May 3 October 20 · middle half October 11 – October 24
7a 2 of 3 April 19 · middle half April 11 – April 27 October 23 · middle half October 17 – October 28
7b 2 of 3 April 8 · middle half April 3 – April 16 October 30 · middle half October 25 – November 3
8a 2 of 3 March 30 · middle half March 25 – April 5 November 5 · middle half November 1 – November 10
8b 3 of 3 March 20 · middle half March 13 – March 29 November 12 · middle half November 7 – November 18
9a 2 of 3 March 5 · middle half February 24 – March 15 November 24 · middle half November 18 – December 2
9b 1 of 3 February 12 · middle half January 30 – February 25 December 8 · middle half December 1 – December 17
10a 1 of 3 107 of 190 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from
10b 1 of 3 70 of 79 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from
11a 1 of 3 34 of 34 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from
11b 1 of 3 12 of 12 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from

“Types hardy in the ground” is a judgement, from the type table above. The freeze dates are measured.

A zone does not tell you your own dates. Inside a single zone the median last spring freeze still varies by 34 days from station to station, so the box below gives the dates of the NOAA station nearest your ZIP code.

Your ZIP code

Your ZIP, your answer

Enter your ZIP code to see your USDA zone, how many of the 3 types on this page live through that zone’s winter and when its freezes fall, read from the table on this page, and the freeze dates of the NOAA station nearest you.

Works for all 40,502 US ZIP codes. Freeze dates need a NOAA station within 100 km; where there is none, the page says so rather than estimating one. Your ZIP code stays in your browser: the page downloads the file of ZIP codes that share its first three digits and looks yours up there. It is not stored or tracked.

Your answer appears here.

Full details for any ZIP code: ZIP code zone finder.

Which tarragon

University of Illinois Extension says French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa) is a loose, open perennial 2 to 3 feet tall with narrow, dark green leaves and a licorice or anise flavor. Its flowers are sterile, so it cannot be grown from seed and is only available as plants from cuttings or root divisions. Seed sold as tarragon is Russian tarragon, a taller, coarser plant that Illinois says lacks the scent and flavor of French tarragon.

NC State’s Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox says Artemisia dracunculus named without a cultivar is wild tarragon, with minimal fragrance and a flavor that may be bland or unpleasant, and that culinary varieties carry a cultivar name, such as ‘Sativa’ for French tarragon. It rates the species zones 3a to 8b.

Tarragon in the South

Clemson’s Home & Garden Information Center says true tarragon is very difficult to grow in the South, and grows Mexican tarragon, or mint marigold (Tagetes lucida), as a heat- and drought-tolerant substitute with an excellent anise aroma, for any dish that calls for tarragon. Mississippi State’s Easy-to-Grow Herbs calls Mexican mint marigold a good substitute for French tarragon in southern gardens.

Mississippi State’s Vegetable Gardener’s Guide says French tarragon struggles in humid summers, does better in containers and prefers partial shade in hot weather; that Russian tarragon is hardy in Mississippi and tolerates heat and humidity better than French tarragon, with a milder, grassy flavor; and that winter tarragon is a tender, frost-sensitive perennial. Mississippi State’s Growing Herbs says winter tarragon is also known as mint marigold. UGA’s Herbs in Southern Gardens says French tarragon is particularly susceptible to humid Southern springs and summers and may grow best in containers.

Texas A&M AgriLife named Mexican mint marigold a Texas Superstar plant in 2025, calling it hardy and easy to grow, with licorice-scented leaves once popular for seasoning fish, chicken and salads. It says the plant grows best in full sun, can take partial shade with some loss of flowers, and needs a well-drained spot to avoid root rot.

Planting and care

Illinois grows French tarragon in full sun, with some light shade tolerated, in soil prepared with organic matter that must be well drained: poorly drained soil, especially over winter, keeps plants from coming through. Texas A&M’s Growing Herbs in Texas selects French tarragon, grows it from divisions or root cuttings in full sun and well-drained soil, and spaces plants 12 inches apart.

NC State says tarragon plants may decline during wet, humid summers or cold, wet winters, and that removing flower buds, deadheading and pruning in mid to late summer helps rejuvenate them. It spreads by rhizomatous roots.

For Mexican mint marigold, Texas A&M AgriLife sows seed in spring and sets out container plants from early spring through fall.

Cutting back and dividing

Illinois cuts plants back in spring just as growth resumes, and says leaving the tops standing over winter improves the chance of the plant coming through. It divides every 3 to 4 years to keep the planting vigorous; NC State divides clumps every 2 to 4 years and cuts plants to the ground in early spring.

Harvesting for the kitchen

Illinois harvests young stem tips and leaves as needed through the season, and says to use tarragon fresh whenever possible for the best flavor. Texas A&M’s bulletin harvests leaves when flowering begins.

Getting tarragon through winter

Outdoors, Illinois leaves the tops standing over winter. Penn State Extension mulches perennial herbs 4 inches deep after the ground freezes in early winter and leaves the mulch on until plants show growth in spring.

Indoors, Illinois grows small pots where very bright light is available, potting cuttings in a standard potting mix and keeping the soil on the dry side, and says indoor plants will not match outdoor ones but give small amounts to use fresh.

Texas A&M AgriLife says Mexican mint marigold dies back to the ground with the first freeze, and that removing the spent foliage at the end of the season is the only pruning it needs.

Common problems

NC State says tarragon is susceptible to root or crown rot in moist, poorly drained soils. Texas A&M AgriLife says Mexican mint marigold has few disease or pest problems, with root rot avoided by a well-drained location.

NC State’s plant toolbox says tarragon is known to be poisonous to dogs, cats and horses if they eat enough of it, and that oils in the plant, particularly the roots, can cause contact dermatitis in people.

Common mistakes

We found no Florida source on tarragon. LSU AgCenter and Alabama Extension did not load, so Louisiana and Alabama advice is missing too.

Questions

What zone does tarragon grow in?
NC State rates the species zones 3a to 8b. Clemson says true tarragon is very difficult to grow in the South, and Mississippi State says Russian tarragon is hardy there while French tarragon struggles in humid summers. The type table on this page gives each type’s range, as a judgement.
Why does my tarragon have no flavor?
It may be Russian tarragon. Illinois says French tarragon cannot be grown from seed, and that seed sold as tarragon is Russian tarragon, which lacks French tarragon’s scent and flavor. NC State says wild tarragon’s flavor may be bland or unpleasant.
Can I grow tarragon in the South?
Clemson says true tarragon is very difficult to grow in the South and grows Mexican tarragon (Tagetes lucida) instead. Mississippi State and UGA say French tarragon may do best in containers there.
What is Mexican tarragon?
Tagetes lucida, also called Mexican mint marigold. Clemson calls it a heat- and drought-tolerant substitute for true tarragon, with an excellent anise aroma, and Texas A&M AgriLife named it a Texas Superstar plant in 2025. Texas A&M says it dies back to the ground with the first freeze.
How do I harvest tarragon?
Illinois harvests young stem tips and leaves as needed through the season and uses them fresh for the best flavor. Texas A&M’s bulletin harvests leaves when flowering begins.

Sources

Freeze dates on this page are NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, for every station the ZIP codes in each zone cite. Zones are the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. The type table is a judgement, as labelled above. Growing advice is quoted from the extension publications below, each written for its own area.

How we write our guides

Published October 25, 2026

How to cite this page

Copy a citation below. The accessed date is today's, filled in by your browser; if it shows [date], put in the day you read the page. Check the format against the style guide you are using.

APA

USGrowersGuide.com. (2026, October 25). Tarragon planting zones. Retrieved [date], from https://usgrowersguide.com/plants/tarragon

MLA

“Tarragon planting zones.” USGrowersGuide.com, 25 Oct. 2026, usgrowersguide.com/plants/tarragon. Accessed [date].

Seasonal jobs for this plant

Related