Mexican Tarragon Seeds | Mexican Mint Marigold, Tagetes lucida

Grow an aromatic kitchen herb with Mexican tarragon (Tagetes lucida), also called Mexican mint marigold. Its glossy green leaves have a sweet licorice-anise flavor and a tarragon-like scent, while small yellow to yellow-orange flowers add color from late summer into fall. It is a useful culinary alternative where hot, humid conditions make French tarragon difficult to grow.

At a glance

• Botanical name: Tagetes lucida
• Common names: Mexican tarragon, Mexican mint marigold, Texas tarragon, winter tarragon, sweet mace
• Plant type: Tender perennial herb; protect from freezing conditions
• Flavor: Sweet anise and licorice notes
• Flowers: Small yellow to yellow-orange blooms
• Available sizes: 100, 500, or 10,000 seeds, and 1/2 oz (approximately 1,700 seeds)

Sowing and growing

Sow after frost danger has passed, cover seeds lightly with soil, and keep evenly moist during germination. Choose full sun, with moderate afternoon shade where needed. Grow in a well-drained garden bed or container, keeping actively growing plants watered without leaving the roots waterlogged. Protect plants from cold in northern climates, and avoid overly wet soil during winter dormancy.

Harvest and kitchen uses

Snip leaves with sharp shears and chop just before using to enjoy their aromatic flavor. Add near the end of cooking to season chicken, fish, soups, stews, or stuffed vegetables. Fresh leaves also lend an anise-like note to salads and herb vinegars. Use to taste as a tarragon alternative; this is a different plant from French tarragon.

From garden to table

Keep a container near the kitchen and snip a few fragrant leaves for dinner, then enjoy the warm-colored flowers as the season progresses. This listing is for seeds to grow the herb, not dried culinary leaves.