Coix seed/Job's Tear 薏米

Coix seed is a common healthy grain to eat. It was a pleasant surprise to find it available in a French vegetable seed catalogue. Sure I can't resist the temptation to grow it, part of my interest in gardening is to see how the food we eat originated. 

Coix seed/Job's Tear

 

Another surprise is the seeds, they are hard and shape of a droplet, with shiny grey shell, totally unlike the grain that we cook. Now I understand why one of it's name is Job's Tear.

Coix seed/Job's Tear

The seed grows into 2 feet tall grass/wheat/small corn like plant, then small chains of flowers appear. 

Coix seed/Job's Tear flowers

I now know that the variety I bought is the wild one, with hard shell, normally used as beards! The eating variety has a soft shell. Anyway it is fun to see how the seeds set.