Mexican tarragon and French tarragon
Two unrelated plants sold under one name. The marigold is used as a tarragon substitute in hot climates where real tarragon will not grow, and the substitution is closer than the botany suggests.
botanical
What is being compared
Why these get confused
The name asserts a relationship that does not exist. Both taste of anise, which is why the borrowed name stuck, and anise flavour is scattered across unrelated plant families.
Point by point
| Aspect | Mexican marigold | Tarragon |
|---|---|---|
| Plant | Tagetes lucida, a marigold in the daisy family. GRIN lists 'Mexican-tarragon' and 'Texas-tarragon' among its English names. | Artemisia dracunculus, a wormwood relative and no relation to marigolds at all. |
| Why the substitution exists | It tolerates heat and humidity that kill French tarragon, which is why it took the name across Mexico and the southern United States. | Needs a cool temperate climate and does poorly in the heat. |
| Aroma | Anise and liquorice, quite pronounced, with a marigold resinousness underneath that tarragon does not have. | Anise and a faint green sweetness, cleaner and less resinous. |
| In a cup | Drunk as pericón in Mexico, a genuine infusion tradition of its own rather than only a stand-in. | Rarely infused alone; it is a culinary herb first. |
The short answer
Not interchangeable in a strict recipe, and much closer than the botany implies. The marigold has its own drinking tradition, which the substitute framing tends to hide.
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