Calabash Tree Gourds by Andrea Jansen

Welcome to a treasure trove of finely crafted collectibles, designed by award winning Caribbean gourd artist Andrea Jansen.

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Q: What is an Higuera?
A: A tree gourd found throughout the West Indies

Read on for more...

"The most colorful 'Green' you've ever seen"

A lampshade made from the higuera, a tree from the family Crescentia. Fragments have been dated to 10,000 years ago. To read more about the history of gourds, see The Complete Book of Gourd Craft
by Ginger Summit
and Jim Widess.

What IS an Higuera?
An Higuera (pronounced ee-gwer-a) is the local name given to the Puerto Rican calabash gourd. The trees can be found growing in the lush, mountainous regions as well as the southwestern desert area. Ranging in size from a walnut to a watermelon, these hard shelled gourds were traditionally used by the Taino Indians as water containers, vessels and musical instruments, and the 'dita', a cleaned gourd half, is still a common household item. The fruit is not consumed; however, the pulp has been made into medical potions, fed to livestock, fermented into moonshine, and even used as a hair dye.