This is the cultivated herb "taragon", a widespread variable native in Eurasia and western North America. Although often cultivated in eastern states it does not persist or naturalize here after cultivation (FNA 19, K, W). It has much traditional use for diverse medicinal and culinary uses, involving its rich chemistry of essential oils (especially "estragol"), coumarins, polyacetylenes, flavonoids, sesquiterpenoids, vitamins and alkaloidal compounds (benzodiazopines, pellitorines); see review of Algarova et al. (2008).