Mexican mint marigold
Tagetes lucida
Also known as: Mexican tarragon, Texas tarragon, Winter tarragon, Spanish tarragon, Pericón, Yauhtli
Quick facts
- Category
- herbs soft
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Days to harvest
- 60 to 90 days
- Harvest type
- continuous production over weeks or months
- Spacing
- 30 cm between plants
Environment
- Temperature
- 12–32°C
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- EC (hydroponic)
- 1 to 1.6 mS/cm
- Daily light
- 18 to 28 mol/m²/day (strict, will fail outside this range)
Climate and zones
- USDA zones
- 8 to 11 (winter low around -12°C or warmer)
- Frost tolerance
- frost sensitive (dies at first frost)
- Season
- warm (summer crops, frost-sensitive)
Viable growing environments:
- outdoor year-round (in zone)
- outdoor in growing season (annual)
- unheated greenhouse / hoop house
- heated greenhouse
- indoor (heated home)
USDA zone bounds reflect outdoor year-round survival. Anywhere outside the bounded zone range, this crop still grows as an annual in the warm months (outdoor_seasonal), under cover (greenhouse), or indoors under lights.
Growing systems
Mexican mint marigold works in:
- media bed (ebb and flow)
- wicking bed
- soil bed
- drip / Dutch buckets
Growing media
The substrate the roots sit in. Choice depends on the system (clay pebbles don't fit NFT channels; rockwool isn't used in media beds) and the crop (mexican mint marigold works in the media listed below).
| Medium | pH effect | Water retention | Bacterial surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coco coir (Coconut coir) | slightly acidic | high | moderate |
| Perlite (Expanded volcanic glass) | neutral / inert | very low | low |
| Soil-based mix (Potting soil) | varies by source | high | high |
Bacterial surface area matters for aquaponics: clay pebbles, lava rock, and pumice double as biofilter substrate. Low-surface media (rockwool, perlite, pea gravel) work in hydroponics but need a separate biofilter in aquaponics.
Nutrient demand by stage
NPK ratios are relative weights at each growth stage; the nutrient mix calculator scales them to absolute grams or ml. EC targets shift through the plant's life: seedlings need a much lighter solution than fruiting adults.
| Stage | N | P | K | EC target (mS/cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| seedling | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 |
| vegetative | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1.4 |
Aquaponics suitability
Compatible with typical aquaponics nutrient profiles. Fish waste provides enough nitrogen for healthy growth; supplemental potassium, calcium, and iron may still be needed depending on fish stocking density.
Care notes
An excellent warm-climate substitute for French tarragon. EC 1.0-2.0 mS/cm. pH 6.0-7.0. Temperature: 20–35°C (thrives in heat that kills French tarragon). High light (DLI 16-25 mol/m2/day). Any hydroponic system works. From transplant to first harvest: 6-8 weeks. Perennial in frost-free conditions; in cold climates, treat as an annual or overwinter indoors in a bright window. Harvest by cutting stem tips; the plant branches freely. The anise flavor is useful as a direct tarragon substitute in bearnaise sauce, chicken dishes, vinaigrettes, and egg preparations. For tea, steep fresh leaves in hot water (a traditional Mexican herbal tea). Propagation by stem cuttings or division; seeds germinate slowly and erratically. The plant is pest-resistant and low-maintenance. For growers in hot, humid climates (the southern US, tropical regions) where French tarragon is impossible to grow, Mexican mint marigold fills that culinary niche.
Plan a setup with Mexican mint marigold
Verified against: u-of-arizona-cooperative-extension, instituto-nacional-de-investigaciones-forestales-agricolas-y-pecuarias-mexico, u-florida-ifas. Last reviewed 2026-05-15.