Thyme or tarragon? I'm not sure.

splash79 · March 14, 2015

Last year, I decided a bit too late in the season to grow some herbs other than basil. I grabbed some window boxes, tossed in some seeds, and waited. Long story short, I don't think I planted enough seeds, because there wasn't really enough to harvest. I chalked it up to an experiment, was happy things grew at all, and figured I'd do better this year.

I was cleaning out the window boxes yesterday and found that a third of one of them was FULL of roots (the entire chunk of soil lifted out of the box). Just as I was getting ready to pull it all up and toss it, I noticed some tiny green and red shoots sticking up.

Before I noticed what I'm assuming is new growth, I pulled out the old seed packet markers and just tossed them to the side, so I have no idea if this is thyme or tarragon. i also pulled out some old stems, which are about 16 inches tall that have "shoots" coming off of them that are about an inch long. Based on that, and looking online, I think it might be tarragon, but I can't be sure.

I took a picture of the new growth , if it is actually new growth, just in case someone here is awesome and could tell what it might be based on that. If it is growing, should I transplant it into its own pot? The area with the roots is about 6x6 inches and, while I didn't pull it all the way out of the box, I suspect it might be rootbound.

shelleybean · March 14, 2015

Hmm, I haven't grown tarragon but I've grown a lot of thyme and that doesn't look like thyme to me. I think your guess is correct but time will tell. Enjoy it, whatever it is!

Stvrob · March 14, 2015

I dont know tarragon, but it doesnt look like thyme to me.

ginger2778 · March 14, 2015

This is Tarragon. It keeps going in my yard. It's about 8 years old. Its the plant centered in front of the black pot, not the weed at the right.

splash79 · March 14, 2015

Based on what everyone has said, and that picture, I'm pretty sure it's tarragon! I'll be sure to mark it properly this year!

Thanks everyone!

RayR · March 14, 2015

Russian Tarragon is like a weed, I still can't get totally rid of it a decade later.
I agree it doesn't look like Thyme but who knows, grow it our and you'll be able to tell pretty quick.

splash79 · March 14, 2015

Ray, I think I planted Russian Tarragon, so I'm glad I did it in a pot. I prefer having all my herbs in pots, both so I can contain anything that might take over and so I can move them around. I do think I'll stick it in its own pot, so I can use the planter its currently in for something else.

Of course, now I'm reading that French Tarragon is preferable to the Russian variety?

RayR · March 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by splash79

Ray, I think I planted Russian Tarragon, so I'm glad I did it in a pot. I prefer having all my herbs in pots, both so I can contain anything that might take over and so I can move them around. I do think I'll stick it in its own pot, so I can use the planter its currently in for something else.

Of course, now I'm reading that French Tarragon is preferable to the Russian variety?

Ya, the Russian Tarragon is no substitute for the French.

Moshou · March 15, 2015

Tarragon, for sure
Smell it, taste it, you'll see that

FILMNET · March 15, 2015

My Fav is any Tarragon and Basil. Tarragon is so hard to grow to me, very slow. Also any this Basil is loved in our house.

beeman · March 15, 2015

It might be Tarragon, but the Russian stuff, as I don't believe there are French Tarragon seeds available. It's normal to grow the French from cuttings.

halleone · March 15, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeman

It might be Tarragon, but the Russian stuff, as I don't believe there are French Tarragon seeds available. It's normal to grow the French from cuttings.

I'd agree with this. My French tarragon has been growing for about 12 years now, comes up reliably in spite of the occasional sudden early freeze, or too hot of a summer, and whatever else Ma Nature throws at it. When it outgrows its space and tries to invade the chives, I mercilessly dig out about 2/3's of it, throw some leaf mulch over it and forget it, until it's time for Tarragon Chicken salad.

Worth1 · March 15, 2015

I had no idea there was different tarragons.
Then I started looking to see which one I had in my spices it is the french tarragon,Artemisia dracunculus.
The Russian is,Artemisia dracunculoides Pursch

Then here in Texas of we have our own substitute that is all so often here with plants. Mexican Marigold Mint (Tagetes lucida)

Here is a link I found about the three.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.eXY&cad=rja
I like to use it in chicken and dumplings.

Worth

Sojourner · June 25, 2015

The French Tarragon has to be grown from cuttings - no seed.

I bought a jar of something labeled "Tarragon" awhile back that was definitely NOT French Tarragon. It stunk. It was really skunky, and it tasted awful. Really nasty stuff. Dropped the whole jar directly into the trash. Ordered a new batch from Penzey's. I use too much of the stuff to rely on the tiny little Spice Island jars for $6 a pop, LOL!

I suspect it wasn't even the Russian Tarragon, but may have been the "Mexican" version. Whatever it was, awful, awful stuff. I'd like to grow French Tarragon, but until I'm settled there doesn't seem a lot of point in it, given its not something I can just grow from seed and then not feel bad at abandoning it.

March 14, 2015	#1
splash79 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: mo Posts: 24	Thyme or tarragon? I'm not sure. Last year, I decided a bit too late in the season to grow some herbs other than basil. I grabbed some window boxes, tossed in some seeds, and waited. Long story short, I don't think I planted enough seeds, because there wasn't really enough to harvest. I chalked it up to an experiment, was happy things grew at all, and figured I'd do better this year. I was cleaning out the window boxes yesterday and found that a third of one of them was FULL of roots (the entire chunk of soil lifted out of the box). Just as I was getting ready to pull it all up and toss it, I noticed some tiny green and red shoots sticking up. Before I noticed what I'm assuming is new growth, I pulled out the old seed packet markers and just tossed them to the side, so I have no idea if this is thyme or tarragon. i also pulled out some old stems, which are about 16 inches tall that have "shoots" coming off of them that are about an inch long. Based on that, and looking online, I think it might be tarragon, but I can't be sure. I took a picture of the new growth , if it is actually new growth, just in case someone here is awesome and could tell what it might be based on that. If it is growing, should I transplant it into its own pot? The area with the roots is about 6x6 inches and, while I didn't pull it all the way out of the box, I suspect it might be rootbound.

March 14, 2015	#2
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Hmm, I haven't grown tarragon but I've grown a lot of thyme and that doesn't look like thyme to me. I think your guess is correct but time will tell. Enjoy it, whatever it is! __________________ Michele

March 15, 2015	#9
Moshou Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Romania Posts: 470	Tarragon, for sure Smell it, taste it, you'll see that __________________ Knowledge is knowing the tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting in your fruit salad

March 14, 2015	#3
Stvrob Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 1,413	I dont know tarragon, but it doesnt look like thyme to me.

March 14, 2015	#6
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	Russian Tarragon is like a weed, I still can't get totally rid of it a decade later. I agree it doesn't look like Thyme but who knows, grow it our and you'll be able to tell pretty quick.

March 15, 2015	#10
FILMNET Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: North Charleston,South Carolina, USA Posts: 1,803	My Fav is any Tarragon and Basil. Tarragon is so hard to grow to me, very slow. Also any this Basil is loved in our house.

March 15, 2015	#11
beeman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 692	It might be Tarragon, but the Russian stuff, as I don't believe there are French Tarragon seeds available. It's normal to grow the French from cuttings.

March 15, 2015	#13
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I had no idea there was different tarragons. Then I started looking to see which one I had in my spices it is the french tarragon,Artemisia dracunculus. The Russian is,Artemisia dracunculoides Pursch Then here in Texas of we have our own substitute that is all so often here with plants. Mexican Marigold Mint (Tagetes lucida) Here is a link I found about the three. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.eXY&cad=rja I like to use it in chicken and dumplings. Worth

June 25, 2015	#14
Sojourner Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Earth Posts: 27	The French Tarragon has to be grown from cuttings - no seed. I bought a jar of something labeled "Tarragon" awhile back that was definitely NOT French Tarragon. It stunk. It was really skunky, and it tasted awful. Really nasty stuff. Dropped the whole jar directly into the trash. Ordered a new batch from Penzey's. I use too much of the stuff to rely on the tiny little Spice Island jars for $6 a pop, LOL! I suspect it wasn't even the Russian Tarragon, but may have been the "Mexican" version. Whatever it was, awful, awful stuff. I'd like to grow French Tarragon, but until I'm settled there doesn't seem a lot of point in it, given its not something I can just grow from seed and then not feel bad at abandoning it.