Plant · P-658

Mexican Mint Marigold

Tagetes lucida

This anise-scented perennial's leaves are the classic substitute for French tarragon in hot climates where true tarragon will not survive the summer, and the Aztecs used it to flavor their cacao drink. It blooms yellow to orange from late summer into autumn, well after most herbs have finished, making it one of the last strong nectar sources of the season for pollinators. It tolerates heat and drought well and dies back to the ground at the first freeze, and good drainage matters more than soil type - standing wet is what kills it.