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Estragon: useful properties, application and cultivation

Tarragon is a perennial plant, its appearance is similar to the wormwood. This plant grows a Bush, in height it can reach 1.5 m. the Leaves of tarragon dark green, rather narrow in shape, have a strong but pleasant aroma, tastes a bit like pineapple. The stems have a yellowish-brown color, they depart a lot of branches. The leaves are up to 80 mm in length and up to 10 mm wide, green with a glossy sheen. Tarragon blooms in late summer, the flowers are small, predominantly yellow color. Another called tarragon tarragon or Artemisia astrahana. Tarragon fruit a achene without Pappus. The fruits appear in October.

The leaves of tarragon has been widely spread in cooking, for example, a variety of salads as well as pickling vegetables and sauerkraut. To grow tarragon begins in early spring almost as soon as the snow melts. Most useful estragon in the first three years of growth, despite the fact that he may grow in a new place before 10 years.

The plant is cultivated everywhere, although in many countries, including in Russia grows wild. Prefers pebbly and dry steppe slopes, although it may appear in the fields.

It is believed that in European countries the plant was imported from Siberia and Mongolia, what happened during the invasion of Mongol-Tatar yoke. The most common grades recognized by the French tarragon, Russian tarragon and Caucasian.

The plant is not characterized by the "whims", it is quite undemanding in cultivation. To successfully grow tarragon can being in the sun, and darkened. In the spring of tarragon, it is desirable to feed a little bit, do a plant need to pour 3-4 kg of compost or humus, approximately 3-4 tablespoons of wood ash, and it is desirable to add 1 tablespoon of NPK nitrophoska or also may be any other compound fertilizer. Pour the tarragon needs a large amount of water about once every 10-12 days. Harvesting tarragon in winter, usually made in the summer, the plant is cut about 3-4 times, and then dried.

Just be sure to remember that the cut tarragon should be taken at a height of 12 cm from the ground. Also worth noting, the more cuts are made, the greater the number of shoots will continue to appear soft, delicate and fragrant leaves.

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Useful properties of tarragon

Tarragon, as you know, is prized not only for its spicy taste, but also for a sufficiently high content of carotene and vitamin C. Like many other leafy spices, tarragon scented can give a person courage. Hyssop essential oil has its own unique, characteristic only for this plant smell. It is precisely these properties of the essential oil of tarragon make this a unique aroma and a pleasant spicy taste with a slight bitterness. The composition of essential oil of tarragon include phellandrene, Sabine and olmen. Fresh estragon contains such vitamins as A, B1, B2 and C, and there is a small amount of phosphorus, calcium, potassium and iron.

Tarragon is 45% from carbohydrates and 25% proteins. It is often used as a vitamin, medicinal plants. In folk medicine, tarragon is popular as a diuretic, and also noted his good antiscorbutic action, plus it just can be used as a General tonic. This remarkable plant is not its pungency, and high aroma essential oil, which finds application in perfumery. Estragon is able to improve appetite, stimulate digestion, it is used in dropsy, as a diuretic. Also, the plant can have a soothing effect, improve sleep. In the treatment of tuberculosis, pneumonia and bronchitis in Tibetan medicine, tarragon is used as a medicine.

The use of tarragon in food useful for the prevention of heart attack and stroke since it contains the compounds prevent the formation of blood clots.

Depending on the purposes for which used tarragon, you can achieve the following effects:

  • Sedative effect (normalizes sleep, helps with depression);
  • Wound healing effect (strengthens the walls of blood vessels, their elasticity);
  • The removal of inflammation;
  • Toning effect;
  • Strengthening of the body (boosts immunity);
  • Spasms (relaxes the nerves, relieves toothache);
  • Getting rid of parasites;
  • Diuretic effect (helps to eliminate swelling, removes excess fluid from the body);
  • Carminative effect.

Thanks to estragon, to lower blood pressure, normalize metabolic processes, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, improve digestion. When using herbs in food, increasing production of gastric juices, improves appetite.

Another known property of tarragon is its effect on the sex glands. In particular, men receiving tarragon in food increases the potency.


The use of tarragon

Since ancient times, tarragon (tarragon) has been successfully used in the fight against headache and dental pain, along with insomnia, depression, poor appetite. Tarragon is advised to take it after heavy meals in order to improve the digestive process and this miracle plant is recommended to increase potency in men. The latter can be explained only by the fact that tarragon has on the body tonic effect. Estragon if it is combined with other herbs, can be used as a salt substitute, which is extremely convenient for people who suffer from hypertension.

Tarragon used to treat in the dried state, in the form of medicinal tinctures and teas. From the leaves is prepared broth, which previously, and currently, many are used in various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract as well as intestinal cramps, sluggish digestion, flatulence, hiccups, painful menstruation in women, the menstrual cycle and premenstrual syndrome.

A decoction prepared from the roots of tarragon is very good for dental pain. Drugs, which are made of tarragon, have wound healing, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, sedative, and anthelmintic properties. Tarragon has a General tonic effect, calms the nervous system.


The use of tarragon in cooking

The use of tarragon in cooking is widespread. The plant is used as a spice that adds flavor to the dish and amplifies the taste. It is added for preservation during cabbage fermentation, soaking pears and apples.

Use tarragon when cooking hot dishes: meat, mushroom, fish. Tarragon is often added to alcoholic beverages, e.g., liquor, vodka, wine, making them taste and aroma more spicy.

Food can not only change the taste and aroma of if it add the tarragon, but will be kept longer, as this plant acts as a natural preservative

The most common use of tarragon in cooking in France, where the grass is part of the famous sauce Béarnaise.

Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine – the residents of all these countries know the taste of the soft drink called Tarhun, which tarragon is the main flavoring.

Brewed with tarragon tea, which will be especially useful for people suffering from insomnia.

A drink made from tarragon at home

A drink made from tarragon at home to cook is a snap. This will need to take 100 g herbs, one lemon, one lime, mint, sugar and water.

Pre-tarragon thoroughly washed out, then the stem should be cut all the leaves and grind them and shook hands. The stems should be cut with a knife into small pieces, a length of about 10 mm. Boil water and pour in it the chopped stalks and sugar (50 g), leaving the fire for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Water is the amount of sugar you will need 250 ml.

Torn leaves mixed with citrus juice and pour into the prepared sugar syrup. To do this you need to until it gets cold. Then the container with all the contents with a lid and allow to infuse for an hour. Ready infusion is filtered and adjusted to the desired concentration carbonated water or water without gas. Decorate a homemade lemonade you lemon and tarragon leaves.


Growing tarragon in the open ground

Growing tarragon in the open ground – the problem is simple, as the plant is very unpretentious and does not require special care.

However, as with any flora, tarragon requires some attention:

  • You should choose a Sunny area, this will allow the plant to get thick foliage. However, tarragon will grow in shade, but will not be too lush.
  • The soil should be light, it is best to enrich it with sand, humus and peat.
  • If the soil has high acidity, it is necessary to reduce, by making a wood ash or ground chalk.
  • Too much to moisten the soil should not be. Tarragon does not like moisture, so you need to plant it away from places where it is overlain by groundwater.
  • Best of all, if thatthe place where it is planned to plant tarragon previously grew chicory, beans, lettuce, artichoke.
  • You can plant the tarragon in the spring, no pre-germination nonseedlings method. To do this, the seeds are simply scattered on the surface of the selected area and cover with soil. The soil should be pre-moistened.
  • Spacing between rows should be not less than 30 cm. After 2 weeks the first shoots that require thinning.
  • Planting will need to be updated every five years, as over time the green of the plants becomes rough.

If you want to harvest faster, tarragon can be grown via seedlings. Sow the seeds at home you need at the beginning of March. After sprouts appear, the box with seedlings should be moved on the windowsill. Seedlings require moderate humidity and light. Dive plants a month after crop emergence. When the weather warms, tarragon can be transplanted into the open ground.

With regard to care for tarragon, it comes down to tilling, removal of weeds, watering and fertilizing. As top dressing tarragon prefers humus. You can enrich the soil with mineral fertilizers, if she is poor and exhausted. It is important not to use those fertilizers that contain large amounts of nitrogen, as it has a negative impact on the taste of the plant.

Pour tarragon should not be, the plant prefers moderate moisture. Before wintering the root system of tarragon, it is desirable to insulate. For this purpose it is covered with a layer of dried grass or mulch from the mixture of peat and sawdust.

Collect grass before flowering, cut off the top stems. For long term storage of dried tarragon and kept in a well ventilated area, away from sunlight. One holiday season, you can cut the top of the head a few times.


Contraindications tarragon

Contraindications tarragon due to its member poison. Do not forget that the plant belongs to the genus Artemisia, which means you need to use it very carefully. If tarragon is used as a drug, the recommended dose is strictly prohibited. It threatens severe poisoning, convulsions, loss of consciousness.

Tarragon is contraindicated in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (peptic ulcer, gastritis with high acidity), it can not be eaten during gestation, during lactation, in the presence of individual intolerance.

In addition, there are indications that prolonged use of tarragon in food can trigger the development of cancer tumors, since there is present asubstance, such as methylchavicol. But in this case we are talking about the regular consumption of herbs in large quantities. As a spice used in cooking, tarragon is not dangerous to human health, if he lacks the above-mentioned contraindications.