Job's Tears (Coix lacryma-jobi)

Family: Poaceae or Gramineae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

Coix lacryma-jobi is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. It is in leaf from May to October, in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from September to November. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds

Harvest Seasons: Fall, Late Summer

Flavor & Culinary Uses

pleasant mild flavour, it can be used in soups and broths. — A pleasant mild flavour, it can be used in soups and broths.; It can be ground into a flour and used to make bread or used in any of the ways that rice is used.; The pounded flour is sometimes mixed with water like barley for barley water.; The pounded kernel is also made into a sweet dish by frying and coating with sugar.

Habitat & North American Range

Wet places in grassland in the foothills of the Himalayas. Open sunny places to elevations of 2000 metrs in Nepal. (Zone 8)