Parris Island Romaine Lettuce Seeds For Planting (Lactuca sativa) 400 Seeds Per Pack

Not sure if you want large, crisp heads of romaine-style lettuce, or tender young greens to add to mixed salads? You can have both with Parris Island Cos romaine lettuce grown from our non-GMO, open-pollinated seeds! 

This heirloom lettuce, originally developed by Clemson University and the USDA and introduced into American markets in 1952, is among the most nutritious lettuce varieties available. High in vitamins A, C, and K, and potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and folate, Parris Island Cos offers more than just fabulous texture and flavor. 

And its hardy and easy to grow! Parris Island Cos romaine is resistant to tip burn and mosaic virus, and healthy plants hold their own against other garden pests that enjoy nibbling on greens. It handles hot weather better than many varieties, meaning you can get a longer season and higher yields from successive plantings. Once harvested, they store well when kept cool. All of these traits make this variety a favorite for farmer’s market vendors, or just for gardeners who want to get the most out of their home-grown produce. 

How do you use Parris Island Cos in the kitchen? The variety’s crisp outer leaves are a great choice to replace tortillas in sandwich wraps, and their creamy-colored hearts are often described as having a flavor similar to—but milder than—butter lettuces. The tips can turn slightly bitter when the weather gets hot, but the savory flavor is welcome to those who like their sandwiches and salads to have a little bit of kick to them.  

How did this delicious, easy-to-grow lettuce get its name? Cos (actually Kos) is a Greek island where many romaine lettuces were first developed, and “Cos” and “romaine” are interchangeable labels. In other words, its redundant to call Parris Island Cos romaine, but many seed suppliers like us do it anyway!

It’s difficult to find out where, geographically, Parris Island lettuce was actually developed, but its named after a North Carolina coastal island with a long history as a military base, coaling station, and a Confederate prison camp. Perhaps Clemson and the USDA wanted a lettuce that would help feed those based at the island’s Port Royal Naval Station, and/or supply military personnel beyond coastal North Carolina. Given the lettuce’s hardiness, nutritional value, and relatively long shelf life, its a pretty good guess.

Growing Conditions

Here’s what you need to know about choosing the right garden spot for this slow-to-bolt, easy-to-grow romaine lettuce: 

• Sunlight requirements: Give your Parris Island Cos lettuce 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. In hotter climates, or when planting midsummer crops, they will do better with a little less direct sunlight, or with light shade in the hottest part of the day. 
• Soil requirements: Plant seeds or transplants into humus-rich soil to facilitate drainage. 
• pH: 6.0 to 6.5
• Watering requirements: Keep all lettuce varieties consistently moist, and water them in the morning, so the leaves have time to dry. Water at ground level whenever possible when you’re aiming for full-grown heads; overhead watering with a fine mist is acceptable for baby greens. 

Are you planning successive plantings? Amend the soil with fine compost in between crops, or fertilize biweekly with a balanced 10-10-10 or 5-5-5 solution, preferably diluted by half.  

Germination & Growth

You’ll love how quickly Parris Island romaine gets going in your garden, and how it will look among your other vegetables. Their gray-green tops, especially when planted close together, are pleasing to the eye.  Baby greens are tender yet resilient, and can be grown in raised beds, flats, and directly in the soil. 

• Days to germination: 7-14 days
• Plant height: 10″ to 12″ tall
• Plant width: 8″ to 10″ wide
• Growth habit: Upright, compact heads
• Days to maturity: 75 for full heads, 18-21 for baby greens