French Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus 'Sativa')

French Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus 'Sativa')Hardy perennial herb Description: Grown for edible, aromatic foliage Habit: Forms a clump to 2 feet tall and with a similar width. Culture: Prefers full sun and well drained, moderately rich soil Hardiness: Cold hardy to USDA Zone 6 Origin: Europe, Asia Attributes: Drought tolerant, Deer resistant Jefferson documented French Tarragon was Thomas Jefferson's favorite herb. He made several inquiries to locate it in 1806, and was sent a shipment of roots

Jefferson's exercise of republican civic virtue from 1790 to 1809 required repeated

surround the crown with a tee-pee of branches

finely toothed

In 1771 Thomas Jefferson included Pasque Flower as a desirable plant in his plans for "The Open Ground on the West - a shrubbery" at Monticello

he called it "one of our finest wild flowers

can tolerate both dry and wet conditions

It was identified and named by the early 19th century plant explorer Thomas Nuttall

Plant root tips just below the surface and mulch with well-rotted leaves

and purple in fall

This easy to grow perennial is more drought-resistant than other fern species

and which reveal themselves as no less vital

In The English Flower Garden (1883)