Wild Flowers - Gourd Bud Vase

These charming little gourd flower vases are not just functional—they are true works of art! Meticulously hand-carved and burned by Peruvian master gourd artists Pablo and Ana, each vase features intricate nature scenes with delicate wildflowers, bees, butterflies, and birds, capturing the beauty of the outdoors. The fine craftsmanship makes these vases perfect for showcasing a small fresh flower or propagating herbs like basil, with the included glass insert. Designed as a Lucuma Designs exclusive, every gourd vase is unique, with its own natural variations in shape, color, and detail. To preserve its beauty, keep the gourd dry. Collection includes six assorted designs. Price is for one gourd vase with a glass tube.

An Ancient Craft

A living tradition more than 4,000 years in the making.

Long before gourds became Christmas ornaments and keepsakes, Peruvians were carving and decorating them for both practical and symbolic purposes. 

Archaeological evidence from Huaca Prieta on Peru’s northern coast shows gourds used as bowls, bottles, dippers, fishing floats, and other everyday objects as early as the third millennium BCE. Some fragments were also carved and decorated with pyroengraving, showing that gourds had already become a surface for artistic expression. 

Other archaeological discoveries reveal their deeper symbolic significance. A carved and painted gourd fragment dating to about 2250 BCE depicts the Staff God, one of the earliest known representations of a major Andean deity.

Remarkably, closely related techniques continue to this day. Artists still carve dried gourds by hand and use heat to darken and shade the surface, carrying forward an ancient Peruvian tradition with roots reaching back thousands of years.

Sources: American Museum of Natural History archaeological research at Huaca Prieta, published 1949; archaeological research on early Andean decorated gourds; Peru Ministry of Culture documentation on mate burilado, 2013.

1% For The Planet

As nature lovers, we want to do our part to contribute to a healthier planet. For us and our artist partners, nature is an endless source of inspiration, motivating us to seek more sustainable alternatives, eco-friendly materials, and greener ways of doing business.

As a member of 1% for the Planet, Lucuma Designs commits at least 1% of annual sales to environmental nonprofits working to protect and restore natural habitats, support Indigenous communities, and advance causes close to our hearts.

Our giving is certified annually through 1% for the Planet, so every Lucuma purchase helps support organizations working toward a healthier, more beautiful world.

Learn more about how you can join at 1% for the Planet.