Up in smoke: Workers remove dozens of apparent marijuana plants from Wisconsin Capitol tulip garden

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Someone's plans to harvest dozens of apparent marijuana plants grown on the Wisconsin state Capitol grounds have gone up in smoke.

The plants sprouted in a tulip garden outside the Capitol, WMTV-TV reported Thursday.

Tatyana Warrick, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Administration, told The Associated Press in an email Friday that workers had removed the plants, but that her agency couldn't determine if they were marijuana or hemp. Both are forms of cannabis, but only marijuana has the compound that gets people high.

Warrick didn't respond to questions about how the plants might have made it into the garden.

University of Wisconsin-Madison botanist Shelby Ellison, who examined the plants for WMTV before they were removed, told the station that they were cannabis plants. But she told The Associated Press on Friday that she couldn't say for certain whether they were marijuana or hemp.

She said there were dozens of the plants in the garden, suggesting someone planted them intentionally.

“It was just a large number of plants for it to be anything accidental,” Ellison said.

Marijuana remains illegal in all forms in Wisconsin. Assembly Republicans introduced a bill last session that would have legalized marijuana for medical purposes, but they couldn't muster support among their state Senate counterparts and the measure never got a hearing.

Howard Alexander

Assistant Editor Howard Alexander comes to iNFOnews.ca from the broadcasting side of the media business.

Howard has been a reporter, news anchor, talk show host and news director, first in Saskatchewan and then the Okanagan.

He moved his family to Vernon in the 90s and is proud to call the Okanagan home.

If you have an event to share contact Howard at 250-309-5343or email halexander@infonews.ca.

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