Botanical Ingredient
Mexican Tarragon
Tagetes lucida
Mexican tarragon — also known as Spanish tarragon or Mexican mint marigold — is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family native to Mexico and Central America. Unlike French tarragon, which struggles in hot, humid climates, Tagetes lucida thrives in heat and produces a remarkably similar anise-like flavor and aroma. Its active compounds include estragole, methyl eugenol, and flavonoids with documented anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and antimicrobial activity. The Aztecs used it ceremonially and medicinally for centuries before European contact.
Traditional Uses
- Traditional Aztec ceremonial and medicinal herb
- Digestive aid and antispasmodic in Mexican folk medicine
- Calming nervine and mild sedative
- Topical anti-inflammatory for skin conditions
- Traditional remedy for stomach ailments across Central American traditions
Key Properties
Did You Know
The Aztecs called Mexican tarragon 'yauhtli' and used it as a ritual incense and medicinal herb. They reportedly blew the powdered plant into the faces of sacrificial victims as an anesthetic — one of the earliest documented uses of herbal sedation.
Our Sourcing
Mexican tarragon is grown in InVine's Florida garden in Tallahassee, where it thrives in the heat and humidity that would kill French tarragon. It is a vigorous perennial that returns reliably each season, producing abundantly through the long Florida summer.
Why We Use It
Mexican tarragon is the plant that solved a problem I had been struggling with — growing a tarragon that could survive a Florida summer. French tarragon simply will not tolerate the heat and humidity here, but Tagetes lucida thrives in it. The flavor and aromatic profile are remarkably similar, and the medicinal properties — particularly the anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic action — give it a place in the apothecary as well as the kitchen. It is one of those plants that feels perfectly matched to the climate and the work we do.