Mexican Tarragon
Mexican Tarragon (Tagetes lucida)
A sweet, anise‑scented herb with golden flowers, loved in Mexican cuisine and perfect for sunny borders
🌿 Mexican Tarragon is a fragrant culinary herb valued for its sweet, anise-like flavour, making it a popular alternative to French Tarragon in the kitchen. Native to Mexico and well suited to warm, sunny spots, it grows happily in pots on patios, balconies, or in a sheltered herb bed. The glossy green leaves add a gentle liquorice note to chicken, fish, egg dishes, salads, and herbal teas. In late summer the plant also produces cheerful golden-yellow flowers, adding ornamental value alongside its culinary uses. Easy to grow and more tolerant of varied conditions than traditional tarragon, Mexican tarragon is a rewarding herb for UK gardeners looking for reliable flavour straight from the garden.
Leaves
The leaves have a sweet, anise‑like flavour with hints of liquorice, mint, and marigold.
• Excellent substitute for French tarragon
• Delicious in chicken, fish, and vegetable dishes
• Lovely in herbal teas
• Adds depth to soups, sauces, and stews
• Beautiful in compound butters and marinades
Leaf flavour: sweet, anise‑like, floral
Flowers
The small golden flowers are edible and mildly aromatic.
• Attractive as a garnish
• Lovely in salads
• Adds colour to herbal teas
• Highly appealing to pollinators
Flower flavour: light, floral, gently anise‑like
