# OG

> OG is a cannabis family name tied to a group of influential clone-only cultivars from the 1990s, and general slang for "original" or long-established.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/og.html
- Also written: OGs, OG Kush family, O.G.
- Glossary category: Grower slang and culture · Evidence: Supported
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

OG has two meanings. In general slang it means original, veteran or authentic. In cannabis naming it refers to a family of influential [clone-only](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/clone-only.md) cultivars that emerged in the 1990s and became the parents of a huge share of modern lines.

## In practice

The origin of the OG family is disputed, including what the letters stand for; stories conflict and documentation is thin. Many cuts circulate under OG names, some genuinely related, some not, and "OG" is attached to new crosses as a marketing tag. Treat any specific OG lineage claim as low-evidence unless there is a documented chain of custody or DNA match.

## Don't confuse with

- **Kush**: a broader name tied to [Hindu Kush](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/kush.md) [landrace](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/landrace.md) material; OGs are often grouped with kush but the relationship is a claim.
- **Original cut**: a claim about one specific clone, not a property of the name.

## Myth check

"Everything with OG in the name is related." Names are unreliable as genetic evidence (Sawler et al. 2015). See [why strain names are unreliable](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/genetics-history/why-strain-names-are-unreliable.md).

## Related terms

[Kush](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/kush.md), [Elite cut](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/elite-cut.md), [Renamed cut](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/renamed-cut.md), [Clone-only](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/clone-only.md)

## Read more

- [Why strain names are unreliable: what genetic studies show](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/genetics-history/why-strain-names-are-unreliable.md)
- [Same cut, a thousand names: renaming, relabelling and the shrinking gene pool](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/genetics-history/same-cut-a-thousand-names.md)

## Sources

1. Sawler J, Stout JM, Gardner KM, et al. 2015. The genetic structure of marijuana and hemp. PLOS ONE 10(8):e0133292. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0133292