My Deer Garden

Plant record · Perennial

Is Tarragon deer resistant?

Artemisia dracunculus

Narrow aromatic leaves of tarragon
Photo by Ies, Public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 1 of 4 · Rarely Damaged

Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.

Type
Perennial
Hardiness
Zones 3–8
Light
Full sun
Height
12–36 in
Bloom
Summer
Maintenance
Low
Native range
26 US states
Toxic to
dogs, cats, and horses

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

About Tarragon

Buy French tarragon as a plant, never as seed, because the seed sold under that name is the coarse and largely flavorless Russian form. Needs sharp drainage to survive winter.

Do deer eat tarragon?

Rarely. Rutgers rates Artemisia dracunculus Rarely Damaged, A, Iowa State lists it in the top tier of herbs, and NC State lists deer and rabbits among what it resists with drought, dry soil and heat. It is an artemisia, the wormwood genus, and the anise-scented oil that flavors it is the reason; every artemisia in the encyclopedia is in the top tier.

Where it grows

NC State: zones 3a to 8b, 1 to 3 feet, full sun, flowering in summer, though French tarragon rarely sets seed and is grown from division. Sharp drainage is what gets it through winter. The ASPCA lists tarragon as toxic to dogs, cats and horses; NC State rates the severity Low, essential oils including estragole and thujone, "vomiting, hypersalivation, diarrhea," and the callout below carries it.

Protecting tarragon

Nothing from deer. From winter wet, gravel.

If it is browsed

It regrows from the running roots, the same way it comes back from being cut for the kitchen. A clump divided every third year stays vigorous, which is the care it needs anyway.

Soil and care

Soil pH
6 to 7.5
Drainage
Sharp, gritty. Will rot in wet soil
Water
Low
Spacing
18 to 24 in apart
Growth rate
Moderate
Maintenance
Low

Similar to Tarragon

Other perennials with the same deer rating.

Where Tarragon is used

One guide on this site plants it, and says where and what beside it.

Where Tarragon grows

Hardy across 50 states on zone range alone, and native to 26 of them. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.

Alabama — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — hardy here. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — not hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.New York — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.
Native and hardyHardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Tarragon

Is Tarragon deer resistant?
Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) is rated Rarely Damaged, step 1 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Deer almost always leave this alone.
What hardiness zones does Tarragon grow in?
Tarragon is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Tarragon grow in shade?
No. Tarragon wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
How big does Tarragon get?
Mature height is roughly 12–36 in. Growth rate is moderate.
Is Tarragon toxic to dogs or cats?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Tarragon as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.

Browse from here

Every list Tarragon belongs to.

All perennials·Rarely damaged·Full sun plants

Hardy in these zones

Zone 3·Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .