An aromatic perennial, Artemisia dracunculus, with long narrow dark green leaves with an anise-like flavor. Ibn Baithar, the great 13th-century Arabian physician, claimed that tarragon sweetened the breath, was soporific and, if chewed before taking medicine, dulled any unpleasant taste. He called it tarkhum, Arabic for "dragon." The French named it estragon, meaning "little dragon." The dragon reference most likely is a reference to its roots, which are coiled in such a way that they resemble a serpent poised to strike. The Romans even used it to treat snakebites. In 1548, tarragon was introduced to England and is mentioned in herbalists John Gerard's Herball.
It is the only commonly used herb to come from the daisy family, the second largest family of flowering plants, and is related to wormwood. Tarragon attained its greatest culinary value and recognition in France, where it became part of the classic fines herbes mixture along with chervil, chives and parsley. It's also used in the French sauce béarnaise.
