VegetableLettuce
Parris Island Cos Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce
Parris Island Cos Lettuce is a Romaine variety with genuine heat tolerance bred for the challenging coastal climate of South Carolina. It grows into uniformly upright heads reaching 10 inches tall in 65 days, with dark green, slightly savoyed leaves that hide creamy white hearts inside. The flavor is mildly sweet with exceptionally crisp, juicy midribs, and it resists bolting even as temperatures climb, making it one of the best warm-season Romaines you can grow. Hardy from zones 2 to 10, it handles poor soils and drought stress while maintaining the exceptional nutritional density Romaine lettuces are known for.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Consistent Moisture
Preferred Temp45-75°F
Growth Stats
10 in
Height
10 in
Width
4 in
Spacing
60–69
Days to Harvest
PeriodAnnual, Biennial
TypeForb/herb
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
—
Zones
2-10
Size
10in H x 10in W
Growth
Annual, Biennial
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
This lettuce was named after its home on the coast of South Carolina, where the climate isn't naturally friendly to cool-season crops. The variety evolved to shrug off heat, drought, and marginal soil conditions while staying crisp and sweet well into summer. Its tightly upright growth habit means it won't sprawl or bolt when temperatures rise, and the creamy white centers are hidden beneath attractively savoyed outer leaves until you cut them open.
Common Uses
Parris Island Cos Lettuce is grown for fresh salads, where its crisp texture and mild sweetness shine. The upright head structure makes it excellent for cutting whole heads or harvesting individual outer leaves repeatedly. Early summer sowings can be harvested as tender baby leaves, offering flexibility in how you use it. The thick, juicy midribs are particularly prized raw, though the entire head is edible and nutritionally dense.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Not Applicable
First Harvest
50-70 Days After Planting
Last Harvest
85 Days After Planting
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last frost date. Germinate at 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Transplant seedlings into larger containers as they develop true leaves, then harden off gradually before moving outdoors.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors about 4 weeks before your last frost date, when soil is workable and daytime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees. Space transplants 8 inches apart, with 12 inches between rows. Water gently after transplanting to settle soil around roots.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds outdoors beginning about 4 weeks before your last frost date. Continue sowing every 2 to 3 weeks for succession harvests. In warm climates, you can sow again in mid to late summer for fall harvests.
Harvesting
Parris Island Cos is ready to harvest 65 days after planting. Cut outer leaves individually when they're 4 to 6 inches long for a continuous harvest, or wait until the entire head firms up and reaches full size (approximately 10 inches tall), then cut the whole head at the base just above soil level. Harvest in early morning when leaves are crisp and full of moisture. Baby-leaf harvesting is also viable with early-summer sowings; cut tender outer leaves when they're just 3 to 4 inches long, and the plant will continue producing for weeks.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
EdibleNative Species
Scientific Classification
Lactuca ×morssii B.L. Rob. (pro sp.)
Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Lactuca
Duration
Annual, Biennial
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (N)
History & Origin
“Parris Island is a real place: a barrier island off coastal South Carolina where lettuce cultivation battles heat, salt spray, and unpredictable rainfall. This variety was developed specifically to survive those harsh conditions while maintaining the tender texture and flavor that make Romaine lettuces prized. The name itself tells the story of adaptation, a lettuce bred in the place that challenged it into existence. Its ability to perform in summer heat and poor soils has made it a reliable choice for gardeners across the country who want a Romaine that doesn't surrender when the weather turns warm.”