Job's tears / Yi Yi Ren / Hato Mugi (Coix lacryma-jobi) - Seeds - The magical grass that gives you pearls

Forget the craft store – start growing your own jewelry! Job's tears, also known as coix seed or tear grass, is an absolute marvel of nature and a spectacular ornamental grass for the garden. Instead of regular grass seeds, this plant produces teardrop-shaped, rock-hard, glossy "pearls" that look like polished porcelain. The absolute highlight: Mother Nature has even built in the hole for threading!

Scope of delivery: 8 seeds each

Growth & Appearance

• Lifespan: Perennial in its tropical home; in our climate, it is usually cultivated as an annual ornamental grass.

• Growth height: A vigorous, stately grass that usually reaches a height of 60 to 120 cm (and up to 1.5 meters in ideal locations).

• Habit: Visually, the plant strongly resembles young corn. It forms thick stalks and broad, lush green leaves.

• Flower & Fruit: The rather inconspicuous flowers appear from July to October. The real spectacle follows afterwards: the female flowers develop into teardrop-shaped pseudo-fruits up to 1.5 cm in size. They ripen in beautiful shades ranging from pearlescent white to silver-gray and blue-gray, and even near-black, gleaming as if they were freshly lacquered.

Origin, History & Other Names

• Other names: The grass is known by many names worldwide. In our region, it is often called tear grass, pearl grass, Christ's tears, or Moses' tears. In Asia and English-speaking regions, it is known as Job's tears or Adlay (adlay millet).

• Origin: Its original home is tropical Southeast Asia (India, China, Malaysia). From there, it has spread to almost all tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

Use (Jewelry, Culinary & Medicinal)

• As natural jewelry (rosaries & necklaces): The hard shell of the teardrops is so sturdy that it cannot be crushed with your fingers. Since the flower stalk runs exactly through the center of the fruit, a perfect, continuous channel is created when you remove the ripe pearl from the stem. You can thread the pearls immediately without any drilling! For centuries, Job's tears have been used worldwide to make Christian rosaries, Buddhist prayer beads, bracelets, and baby teething rings.

• How long has it been cultivated? The Job's tear is a true historic crop plant! Archaeological findings prove that it was cultivated in parts of India and China over 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. It was a major staple food in many Asian regions long before rice began its great rise to popularity there.

• Is this hard wild form edible? (Dentist warning!): The answer is: Theoretically yes, practically no! While the inner kernel of the seeds is edible, very nutritious, and gluten-free, the extremely hard, porcelain-like shell of this specific wild form (Coix lacryma-jobi var. lacryma-jobi) is an absolute tooth-breaker. You would have to arduously crack them with tools. For this exact reason, farmers bred a soft-shelled variety (var. ma-yuen) millennia ago. Only this soft cultivated form is eaten today in Asia as "adlay millet," cooked like rice, or used for soups and teas. So, our hard wild form definitely belongs around your neck or wrist—not in the cooking pot!

• In natural medicine (TCM): In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the seeds are known by the name "Yi Yi Ren" and are used for diuresis, joint pain, and skincare.

• In floristry: The branches with the hanging pearl drops are a fantastic eye-catcher in dried autumn bouquets!

Location, Care & Gardener Tips (Caution, thirsty!)

• Location: Full sun and as warm as possible. A sheltered spot in front of a south-facing wall is ideal.

• Soil & Watering: This is the secret! In its home, the Job's tear is a swamp plant. It does not like normal, dry potting soil at all. The soil must be extremely nutrient-rich and, above all, always moist to wet. You can even plant it at the edge of a garden pond or place the pot in a saucer that is kept constantly filled with water.

• Harvest: Harvest in late summer/autumn as soon as the teardrops lose their green color, become hard, and turn a slightly grayish/whitish hue. If left on the plant for too long, they will fall off on their own.