Please note: At 3 million+ seeds per pound, these seeds will look like dust in the baggie.
 
The English word tarragon is a corruption of the French word estragon, or little dragon, derived from the Arabic tarkhun. Various folklore beliefs were that tarragon was good for treating the bites of venomous snakes, while others thought the name was due to the coiled serpent like roots of the plant. The Russian plant is thought to be milder in flavor than French tarragon, and is more robust, growing to a height of about 5 feet. The ancient Greeks and Romans did not include artemisias in their kitchen repertoire and it was only rarely mentioned during medieval times. The Arab botanist and pharmacist, Ibn-al-Baytar of Spain, mentioned it as a breath sweetener, sleep aid and as a seasoning for vegetables. It was not until the 16th century that tarragon could be considered one of the condiments of the Western world.
Germination: Indoor sow seeds 4-6 weeks before the last expected frost, surface sow; keep the temperature at 65-70 degrees F under indirect light until germination. When danger of frost has passed, transplant the seedlings two-three ft apart. Tarragon grows best in dry or well drained soil and full sun or part shade. Direct sowing is possible but somewhat difficult because of the extremely tiny seed. This herb attracts butterflies and bees, and repels harmful insects and deer. Russian tarragon seeds will germinate in soil in approximately 10 to 14 days, but can germinate in as few as 7 to 10 days under ideal conditions in a soil-less germination medium.