Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Russian Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculoides)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Russian tarragon, false tarragon, wild tarragon.

More about russian tarragon

About Russian Tarragon

Artemisia dracunculoides · also called Russian tarragon, false tarragon · herb

Russian tarragon is a vigorous, hardy perennial in the wormwood family, taller and coarser than French tarragon but far easier to grow from seed. Its narrow green leaves carry a mild, slightly bitter anise note that strengthens as plants mature. Sun-loving and drought-tolerant, it spreads readily in poor, free-draining soil where pampered French tarragon would fail.

Cold limit: USDA 4-8 (hardy perennial outdoors) · RHS H5 (15-27°C)

Watch for — Root rot in wet soil: Yellowing and collapse in heavy or waterlogged ground. Provide sharp drainage, water sparingly, and avoid winter wet.

What russian tarragon's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — russian tarragon is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H5 and USDA 4-8 (hardy perennial outdoors), it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H5 means: Hardy in most of the UK and in cold winters. On the US scale that maps to USDA 4-8 (hardy perennial outdoors) — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −15 to −10 °C. Russian Tarragon is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for russian tarragon as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −15 to −10 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can russian tarragon go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 4-8 (hardy perennial outdoors) and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when russian tarragon can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H5 figure above.

Russian Tarragon hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is russian tarragon cold hardy?

Yes — russian tarragon is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H5 and USDA 4-8 (hardy perennial outdoors), it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Russian Tarragon is hardy across USDA 4-8 (hardy perennial outdoors); it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature russian tarragon can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −15 to −10 °C. Russian Tarragon is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is russian tarragon?

Russian Tarragon is rated USDA 4-8 (hardy perennial outdoors) and RHS H5 — Hardy in most of the UK and in cold winters.

Can russian tarragon survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 4-8 (hardy perennial outdoors) and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to russian tarragon below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −15 to −10 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.