If you love French cooking, you may have heard about four fines herbes suitable for fish, chicken, and egg dishes. Tarragon is one of the others being chervil, chives, and parsley.
Also, it is a flavoring herb for some carbonated soft drinks in Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan. That is not all. It is part of the Tarkhuna drink recipe, Chakapuli dish (Georgia), and serves as a sabzi khordan side dish.
Can bunnies eat tarragon?
Yes. Tarragon leaves and stems are fine for rabbits but should be fed in moderation as a delicious snack. Just chop about two twigs of this herb and sprinkle it on their vegetable mixes. It is safe for bunnies (not toxic or poisonous).
However, before you do so, begin by offering your bunny a small piece to see if they will love it or not since these pets don’t like aromatic herbs. While some will enjoy every bite, others may ignore it, especially if they have a more preferred alternative.
Tarragon or Artemisia dracunculus is an aromatic, perennial herb that belongs to the family Asteraceae or Compositae, otherwise known as the sunflower, aster, daisy, or composite family. It is widespread in North America and Eurasia. Its flavor will remind you of anise.
Not all subspecies have aromatic leaves. While Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa is the popular aromatic culinary herb with French Tarragon considered as the best. Others don’t have the characteristic aroma, while others like Russian tarragon’s flavor is weaker.
Finally, always go for the organic source of this herb and begin with a small amount to see if the digestive system responds positively. If there isn’t any diarrhea, gas, bloating, or any other stomach upset, increase the amount to about two twigs, gradually over a week.
Tarragon benefits
Besides being rich in manganese, calcium, iron, and potassium, it may have antibacterial properties able to prevent foodborne illnesses. All these will be beneficial to your bunny.
Also, According to Bunnymeadow.co.uk, “tarragon is kidney stimulating and good for worming and digestion.” However, if you are using it therapeutically, ensure your veterinarian is aware of it. A proper diagnosis may be necessary to see why your rabbits have indigestion issues or if they have worms.
Finally, in humans, tarragon may help relieve pain to people with osteoarthritis or similar conditions, increase appetite, improve sleep and regulate your sleep patterns, improve insulin sensitivity that will consequently decrease blood sugar level, among other benefits.