Job's Tears
Coix lacryma-jobi
A tall, robust tropical grass featuring broad, linear leaves and distinctive hard, bead-like structures containing the flowers and seeds.
- Light
- Full sun, requiring at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
- Water
- High moisture requirements; needs regular watering to keep the soil consistently damp. Intolerant of prolonged drought.
- Growth
- An erect, clump-forming annual or perennial grass reaching heights of 3 to 6 feet with a rapid growth rate.
Care instructions
Grow in full sun with consistently moist, well-draining soil. Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
Growing details
Sunlight
Full sun, requiring at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Watering
High moisture requirements; needs regular watering to keep the soil consistently damp. Intolerant of prolonged drought.
Soil
Rich, loamy soils with good moisture retention and a neutral pH range between 6.0 and 7.0.
Hardiness zone
USDA zones 9 through 11, grown as an annual in cooler temperate climates.
Growth habit
An erect, clump-forming annual or perennial grass reaching heights of 3 to 6 feet with a rapid growth rate.
Bloom season
Flowers and produces hard bead-like inflorescences from mid-summer through autumn.
Propagation
Propagated primarily from seeds sown in spring after the danger of frost has passed.
Common pests & issues
Generally resilient, but can be susceptible to aphids, rust, and root rot if soil drainage is poor.
Similar species
Other large ornamental grasses such as Sorghum or Pennisetum species, distinguished by Job's Tears' characteristically hard, glossy bead-like floral bracts.