This beautiful romaine was developed around 1949 by the United States Department of Agriculture and Clemson University in Charleston, South Carolina. It was named after a small island in this American state and first introduced on the East Coast of the country by the seed company Ferry Morse Seed Company in 1951.

It forms a large, very uniform, elongated head 30 cm high. Its dark green outer leaves conceal a delicious creamy white heart. They themselves are exceptionally tender and flavourful and feature a beautiful contrasting white midrib. It is also cultivated for its young shoots, popular with great chefs for their culinary qualities. This cultivar has also set a quality standard for romaine lettuces.

Gardeners also love it for its resistance to heat and diseases, particularly mosaic virus and tip burn. It is an excellent summer lettuce that resists bolting well. Its many qualities were recognized in England in 1999 when it received an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is also sold under the name Parris Island cos, "cos" being the English term for "romaine".

Days to harvest: Young leaves: 28 | Mature leaves: 55

Packet of 1000 seeds