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Wakefield Museums and Castles
Pontefract Castle
Medieval herb garden blog 44: Russian tarragon
Monday, November 03, 2025Week 44 volunteer update
Yet another wet weekend meant that that the Medieval Herb Garden was too wet to walk on. So, we helped Joe put away the outdoor items from the half term festivities.
Helen then made a start on repainting the small signage boards, ready for the next event. Carole packaged up goldenrod, goat’s rue, fennel, angelica and mullein seeds she had harvested earlier in the year.
We sorted out the final placement of one of the new obelisks. The second one will have to change position. The slope of the Medieval Herb Garden is too great and it doesn’t remain upright for long. We will have to re-think and change the location of the hops.
One of the obelisks in the Medieval Herb Garden
Plant of the week: Russian tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus dracunculoides)
The botanical name ‘Artemisia’ comes from Artemis. She was the Greek goddess of the hunt and the moon.
‘Dracunculus’ comes from the Latin for ‘little dragon’. There was an old superstition that this plant could deter dragons and snakes, because of the snake-like appearance of its roots.
The term ‘dracunculoides’ identifies it as being the Russian and not the French variety. It is also known as 'dragonwort'.
Russian tarragon is native to Siberia. It only came into common use in England from the 1500s.
Russian tarragon is a vigorous, hardy, tall, columnar, deciduous, perennial plant. It prefers full sun to partial shade. It will grow in any well-drained south or west-facing soil.
Russian tarragon in the Medieval Herb Garden
Russian tarragon can grow to a height of 150cm / 5 ft and a spread of 120cm / 4 ft. It has slender, branching stems. These produce lanceolate, strongly scented, mid-green leaves.
The leaves are 2 to 8 cm long and 2 to 10 mm wide. It flowers from July to August. The composite flowers are 2 to 4 mm in diameter. Each flower contains up to 40 yellow or greenish-yellow florets.
Russian tarragon has a pungent, bittersweet and peppery taste with a mild anise undertone.
Culinary uses of Russian tarragon
Russian tarragon has a milder aniseed flavour than French tarragon. The Russian variety is used for flavouring soups, fish, chicken and egg dishes. It is also used in sauces, dressings and flavoured vinegars. It can be used as a rub for chicken before cooking.
In early spring, the young stems can be cooked as an asparagus substitute.
It is a key ingredient in sauces like Béarnaise and tartar sauce.
Folklore and other facts about Russian tarragon
Russian tarragon is eaten in Persia to make you feel hungry.
It attracts fruit flies.
Medieval medicinal uses of Russian tarragon*
From the Middle Ages onwards, European monks grew Russian tarragon to support liver and kidney function. They used it to stimulate the digestive system, lower fever, destroy worms and cure hiccups. The root of tarragon was used to cure toothache.
It was also believed to cure the bites and stings of venomous beasts and mad dogs.
However, the plant contains methyl eugenol. This can cause allergic contact dermatitis in some people.
*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.
Medieval herb garden blogs
Browse all blogs by our dedicated team of volunteer gardeners at Pontefract Castle. Discover each 'Plant of the Week' as chosen throughout 2025.