Help ID an herb

[AllenOK]

Ok, I've posted a couple times that I had planted some Lavender and some Tarragon last year. I got some kind of plant, but since I had planted both herbs close together, and didn't mark them, I wasn't sure which one had sprouted. I couldn't get a discernable scent when I bruised some leaves, and it didn't bloom.

Ok, now that I have a decent digital camera, I've taken a picture of the shoots that are springing up this year.

It kind of looks like Tarragon. I haven't tried bruising a leaf yet. However, I know that Lavender looks similar to Tarragon. Can any of you more garden-knowledgable folks help? If it blooms, I should know for sure then.

 

[Andy M.]

Here is a pic of tarragon. Your plant doesn't look like this.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/images/artdracunculustip.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/taglucida.htm&h=228&w=216&sz=21&tbnid=2iDyhXcXPbJhAM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=97&hl=en&start=4&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtarragon%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

...and here is some lavender:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wessexwater.co.uk/uploadedImages/Water_Efficiency/garden/lavender_plant_2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wessexwater.co.uk/waterefficiency/sub_garden.aspx%3Fid%3D1080&h=176&w=176&sz=16&tbnid=8bqRrZF_HuHsiM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=95&hl=en&start=3&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlavender%2Bplant%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

 

[jpmcgrew]

Im thinking it's not any kind of herb it looks more like some kind of flower

 

[buckytom]

it looks like french tarragon to me.

 

[amber]

It looks like tarragon to me. Lavender had more "needle' like leaves, whereas tarragon has the long narrow leaf as shown in your photo.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I definitely looks like Tarragon to me, but the only way you'll be able to ID definitely will be to crush a fresh leaf.

If it doesn't have that distinctive anise-like scent, there's also the possibility that you planted Russian Tarragon, which has little to no scent or taste, & is virtually worthless. Some of the big box stores around here (Lowe's, Home Depot) sometimes sell Russian Tarragon just marked "Tarragon", which is why you should never buy such a plant without doing the "leaf test" first.

 

[ironchef]

Allen, it looks like tarragon (or at least an off-shoot of tarragon) to me too. Did you try one of the leaves yet? You'll know for sure once you've done that.