Tarragon
|
Botanical Name |
Artemisia dracunculus |
|
Family |
Asteraceae (Compositae) |
|
Other Names |
Dragon, estragon, French tarragon, little dragon, serpentaria, |
|
Habitat |
Near rivers, streams |
|
Description |
Perennial herb. Up to 60cm/2ft. Long, narrow, undivided leaves. Small yellow/green flowers July-October. Long, fibrous roots |
|
Native |
Europe |
|
Cultivated in |
Worldwide |
|
Cultivation |
Warm, dry places |
|
Actions |
Anthelmintic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, aperitif, carminative, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, hypnotic, stimulant, stomachic, vermifuge |
|
Extraction |
Steam distillation of leaves |
|
Constituents |
Up to 70% estragole, capillene, ocimene, nerol, phellandrene, thujone, cineol |
|
Culinary Uses |
Salads, vinegar, meat |
|
Skin |
Toothache, bites, stings |
|
Circulatory muscle joint |
Rheumatism, gout, arthritis |
|
Digestive |
Anorexia, dyspepsia, flatulence |
|
Genito-urinary |
Amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, PMT |
|
Other Uses |
Soaps, detergents, cosmetics, food |
|
Other Notes |
The name dracunculus comes from the Latin for little dragon |
|
Caution |
Use in moderation |