SS02 × Ogun – Columnar Cactus Hybrid

The SS02 × Ogun hybrid represents a masterful botanical marriage of two highly distinguished parent lineages. Its ancestral roots trace back to the rugged, high-altitude terrain of South America — incorporating the robust, cold-hardy characteristics of the Bolivian Andes alongside classic genetics from the historic Matucana valley of Peru. This seed-grown hybrid showcases an exceptional phenotypic blend: beautiful frosted blue-green columnar stems, varying spine lengths, and elegant structural architecture.

SS02 Provenance

Originally curated by Ben Kamm of Sacred Succulents. It stems from a notable specimen traced back to California collections (including Serra Gardens), possessing distinct frosty blue-green coloration and robust structural traits.

The Ogunbodede Clone

The Ogun provenance — properly known as the "Ogunbodede" clone — is celebrated as one of the most legendary origin stories in the rare cactus community, involving academic research, a lost package, and an unexpected survival story.

Origin Story

• The Academic Link: Named after Olabode Ogunbodede, lead researcher of a highly influential 2010 botanical study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
• The Lost Box: Live specimens were legally sourced from the wild mountain landscapes of Matucana, Peru and shipped to the United States. A specific box of cuttings became severely delayed and went missing in the postal system.
• A Minor Miracle: After nearly a year lost in transit, the box finally arrived. The cuttings had almost completely mummified — yet one was successfully revived and planted.

Community Distribution & Visual Traits

• Dispersal: The surviving cutting was propagated by ethnobotanist Keeper Trout and later distributed through Ben Kamm at Sacred Succulents. Because of this direct lineage, it became known simply as "Ogun" or "Ogunbodede."
• Physical Traits: Incredibly smooth, vibrant kelly-green skin, remarkably minimal or short spination, and highly distinct, clean areoles.