Artemisia dracunculus

Tarragon, Tarragon

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Tarragon is a California native perennial herb found in various regions of California except the northern coastal areas, growing in many habitats particularly disturbed sites at elevations up to 3,400 meters. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces small nodding flower heads 2 to 3.5 millimeters in diameter with light brown, membranous phyllaries. Growing with multiple stiff, erect brown stems 50 to 150 centimeters tall from a woody base, it develops from a woody caudex. Its leaves are bright green, linear, 1 to 7 centimeters long, with entire margins or occasionally few linear lobes. When crushed or handled, the plant releases a distinctive tarragon-like scent.

Habitat: Common. Many habitats, especially disturbed sites

Bloom period: Generally Aug-Oct

Elevation: < 3400 m

Bioregions: CA (exc NCo, NCoRH, NCoRI, CaR)

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.