Growing in plain sight, but is it a pot plant in CBD?

This plant was mistaken for marijuana - it has since been taken out.

For Wairoa woman Kelly Cairns a wander to the Napier Library to do a spot of research last week revealed more than she bargained for.

It also led to a brief flurry of botanical activity. What she spotted growing in one of the garden areas through Civic Court closely resembled a cannabis plant.

Having been a clinical herbal student about 20 years ago, she said it looked very much like a small sprouting of marijuana.

While it was later determined not to be cannabis, by a senior member of the Napier City council sportsgrounds, parks and reserves department, it did bear a strong resemblance.

Ms Cairns was in Napier for a spot of study and research and said while walking through the court discovered the plant "growing in plain sight of all the Civic Court businesses".

She later spotted what she believed were two more and took photographs.

She saw a council worker nearby so stopped her and pointed the plant out, telling her she was sure it was marijuana.

"She took her glasses off, leaned forward to the raised garden and smelled the aroma of the plant just to confirm what her eyes had realised."

It was after the worker left that she contacted police.

The first reaction from police had been that it was more likely to be a form of tomato plant.

Ms Cairns disagreed and an officer later went with her and took a leaf from the plant and said it would be tested to determine what it was.

Ms Cairns said she was surprised they were unable to do that on the spot.

After returning to the garden area she discovered the plant had gone.

"It had been taken out by the roots."

The council garden specialists took and examined the plant and while it bore some resemblance confirmed it was "definitely" not marijuana.

Had it turned out to be a spot of "weed" growing in the CBD it would not have been the first time marijuana had been found growing in a public place.

Several years ago staff at a community police station in Rotorua discovered a cannabis plant growing in their garden outside.

It was believed someone they may have been dealing with decided to ditch seeds they had on them.