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Tarragon · Artemisia dracunculus

Why is my tarragon growing tall and thin?

Leggy growth happens when your tarragon is stretching to find more light. Check your light levels to make sure it is getting enough direct sun.

Not sure it's this? Check a photo of your plant for free

leggy growth on a plant
Photo: Rosser1954, CC BY-SA 4.0

Check these first

  1. Measure the hours of direct sun the plant receives.
  2. Check if the plant is leaning toward a window.
  3. Look for new growth nodes to prune.

Likely causes

  1. Insufficient light

    Most likely

    How to tell: The stems are long and weak with large gaps between the leaves. The plant leans heavily toward the nearest light source.

    What to do: Move the plant to a location that receives full sun for at least 6 to 8 hours a day. If indoors, place it in a south facing window.

  2. Lack of pruning

    Possible

    How to tell: The plant is tall but not bushy. It looks sparse and has not been trimmed back in a long time.

    What to do: Pinch back the top stems regularly to encourage branching. This forces the plant to grow outward rather than just upward.

Leggy growth in other plants

Find out what's wrong with your tarragon

The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.

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When to worry

It is not a health emergency, but it does mean the plant is not thriving. Pruning and better light will fix it quickly.

Stopping it coming back

Prune your tarragon regularly throughout the growing season to keep it compact and bushy.

Tarragon: leggy growth? Check yours with a photo

Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your tarragon and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.

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Questions people ask

How do I prune tarragon?
Simply pinch or snip the top few inches of the stems. This encourages the plant to grow two new stems from the point where you cut.
Can I grow tarragon in the shade?
No, tarragon needs full sun to stay healthy and flavorful. Shade will almost always result in a leggy, weak plant.

More problems with Tarragon

Back to the Tarragon guide

This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.