Estragon or Tarragon or Tarhun (Artemisia dracunculus L)
		Tarragon (Estragon) Tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus L., has grown in popularity in recent years. It is a small perennial plant of the Asteraceae family. It has an erect stem up to 1.2 m tall and leaves are large (about 5 cm long), narrow and dark green. It is grown in Russia, Georgia, France, Holland, Hungary and California. Tarragon oil is produced by steam distillation of leaves, stems, and flowers. It is a pale yellow to amber liquid with a characteristic, spicy, delicate stragon odour reminiscent of liquorice and sweet basil. The main components of tarragon oil are estragole (methylchavicol, up to 70%), ocimene, phellandrene, camphene and pinenes, among others.
Worldwide production of tarragon oil only amounts a few tons per year (production in Russia and former Soviet republics is unknown). It is used mainly in aroma compositions; smaller quantities are employed in perfumery. It has a dark green viscous oleoresin color. Tarragon has been used in Europe to reduce anorexia, dyspepsia, flatulence, Intestinal spasms, nervous digestion, sluggish digestion and genital urinary tract infection. It may also help reduce premenstrual discomfort and pain with nerves and sciatica. It is neuromuscular, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious, antiviral, antibacterial, and prevents fermentation. Tarragon was used by the ancient Greeks as a remedy for toothache. Today we know that tarragon contains an anesthetic chemical, eugenol, which is the major constituent of anesthetic clove oil, making its use for temporary pain relief understandable. During medieval times there was a belief, called the Doctrine of Signatures, which stated that an herb's appearance revealed its medicinal value. According to this philosophy, tarragon was thought to cure snake bites, due to the serpentine shape of its roots. Even tarragon's species name, dracunculus, comes from the Latin for dragon, again referring to the shape of its root, and adding to the myth of curing bites from venomous beasts and mad dogs. Tarragon is called the "King of Herbs" by the French, and with good reason. It is the main flavoring in many of the sauces that form the foundation of classic French cuisine, such as ba?rnaise, rigavote and tartare. French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) is the variety most often used in recipes. Its flavor is sweeter and its leaves are more delicate than its relative Russian tarragon, (Artemesia dracunculoides), which tends to have coarser, paler leaves and a bitter, inferior flavor. Unfortunately, whereas the Russian variety spreads and reproduces easily, French tarragon cannot be propagated by seed but must be cultivated by cuttings and root divisions. For a healthy plant, it requires rich, well drained soil and full sun. There is another variety of tarragon. It is actually a member of the marigold family (Tagetes lucida), commonly called Mexican marigold or winter tarragon. Given full sun and good drainage, the plant grows to a height of about 2 1/2 feet and is quite bushy. In the late fall it produces a lavish display of tiny golden flowers at the end of its long, erect stems.