Parris Island Cos lettuce, often simply referred to as Parris Island lettuce, is a variety of romaine lettuce celebrated for its crisp texture and sweet flavor, making it a favorite for salads and culinary uses where taste and presentation matter. This lettuce variety was developed in the early 1950s by the USDA in collaboration with Clemson University, named after Parris Island, South Carolina, where it was initially bred to thrive in the region's warm, humid climate. Its leaves grow into a vase-shaped head, offering not just a nutritional punch but also resistance to common lettuce ailments like mosaic virus and tipburn. Parris Island Cos is known for its bolt-resistant nature, which means it's less likely to prematurely go to seed in warm weather, making it a reliable choice for gardeners looking for a long harvest season.