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Job's Tears

About Job's Tears

The Job grass is a tropical perennial grass native to Southeast Asia, but has naturalized in the southern United States. Some varieties have seeds with hard pseudocarps and are used for jewelry, while others have softer ones used for cereal crops and folk medicine. In the Cherokee Nation and Eastern Band of Cherokee the beads of Job's tears are used in personal attire.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Coix lacryma-jobi

Genus

Coix

Family

Poaceae

Order

Poales

Also known as

Job's-tears, Adlay, Adlay millet, Coixseed, Tear grass, Yi yi and Chinese pearl barley

How to care for Job's Tears

💦 Water

How often to water your Job's Tears

Job's Tears needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Job's Tears in your home

Job's Tears love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Job's Tears does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Job's Tears in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Job's Tears

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Job's Tears: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Job's Tears after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

💡 FAQs

💦 Water Needs

Job's Tears prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Job's Tears Water Frequency →

Job's Tears Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Job's Tears requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Job's Tears Light Requirements →

Job's Tears Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Job's Tears is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

🪴 Soil

Job's Tears does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Job's Tears →

Best Pots for Job's Tears →

When and How to Successfully Repot Job's Tears →

What Are Healthy Job's Tears Roots →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Job's Tears can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 9a-11b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Job's Tears Temperature Tolerance →

Job's Tears Hardiness Zones →

Landscaping Ideas with Job's Tears →

When to Plant Job's Tears →

How to Plant Job's Tears →

Where to Plant Job's Tears →

Winter Care for Job's Tears →

Best Companion Plants for Job's Tears →

Is Job's Tears a Weed? →

🌱 Propagation

The seeds of Job's Tears can be used to grow new plants! After your plant flowers, any seeds that formed can be collected and germinated in potting soil.

How to Propagate Job's Tears →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Job's Tears, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.