OG Kush: the strain that built modern cannabis

The origin debate

Two stories compete. The first credits Matt Bubba Berger and Josh D, who in the early 1990s in Florida received a bagseed cross of Chemdawg and a Hindu Kush landrace. They moved to Los Angeles and propagated it. The 'OG' in their telling stands for 'Ocean Grown,' a nod to its move to coastal California.

The second story credits the Los Angeles cannabis scene more directly, with 'OG' standing for 'Original Gangster.' Either way the strain stabilized in Los Angeles in the mid-1990s, became the backbone of medical dispensary inventories there, and spread nationally as legalization expanded.

Genetics

Officially OG Kush is a hybrid of Chemdawg and Hindu Kush, leaning indica. Cannabinoid content typically lands in the 19 to 25% THC range with under 1% CBD. The chemovar is THC-dominant.

• •**Lineage:** Chemdawg × Hindu Kush
• •**Type:** indica-leaning hybrid (about 70/30)
• •**THC:** 19 to 25% typical
• •**CBD:** under 1%

Terpene profile (what makes it smell that way)

OG Kush's signature is its terpene mix. Three dominate:

• •**Myrcene** — the most abundant terpene by mass in most OG Kush samples. Herbal, slightly musky, sedating in higher concentrations.
• •**Limonene** — citrus-bright, mood-lifting. Counteracts some of the heaviness of myrcene.
• •**Beta-caryophyllene** — peppery, anti-inflammatory, also acts on CB2 receptors. Contributes to the 'body relax' feel.
• •The pine note comes from a smaller pinene contribution. The 'gas' note is largely myrcene plus volatile sulfur compounds that lab-grade terpene analysis often misses.

What it does

OG Kush is a body-and-head strain. The high comes on fast, with a heady euphoric lift in the first 15 to 20 minutes, followed by deep body relaxation. At low doses it is social and giggly. At moderate doses it is mellow and creative. At high doses it puts you on the couch and into a snack-deep food trance.

Patient communities most consistently report OG Kush helping with: stress, end-of-day pain, appetite, and difficulty falling asleep. It is not a daytime productivity strain.

Strains it produced

OG Kush's descendants form the backbone of the modern American market:

• •**GSC (Girl Scout Cookies)** — OG Kush × Durban Poison. Sweeter, more euphoric.
• •**Wedding Cake** — Triangle Kush (an OG phenotype) × Cherry Pie. The most commercially dominant strain of 2020 to 2025.
• •**Bubba Kush** — likely a phenotype expression. Heavier, more sedating.
• •**Headband** — OG Kush × Sour Diesel. Functional, focus-friendly relative.
• •**Tahoe OG** — sleepier OG phenotype, regional Northern California standout.
• •**Skywalker OG** — Skywalker × OG Kush. Heavier indica feel.

Buying OG Kush in 2026

Genuine OG Kush is rarer on dispensary shelves than the menus suggest. Many products labeled 'OG' are phenotype crosses or hype-named hybrids. To get closer to the real thing, look for clearly named lineages (Josh D OG, SFV OG, Larry OG, Tahoe OG) rather than generic 'OG Kush' SKUs. Reputable cultivators typically disclose lineage on the label.