Job's Tears: coix lacryma-jobi

 
Job's  Tears is a tall-growing member of the grass family, originally from Asia, it is now naturalised in many ares of the world. Grown easily from seeds or division, it will thrive as long as it dosen't receive a frost.  It will grow lush and green when watered during summer and bears hard seed pods in shades from black through to brown, grey and white that are easily threaded into necklaces or used for beading onto fabric. 

The the grain variety ma-yuen is used in Asia as a food crop in areas too high in altitude for rice. It is used to make vinegar, alcoholic drinks, in soy milk and  in Chinese medicine.

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