The first leaf of the story unfolded when a Cincinnati police officer asked Bobby Stevenson to explain the distinctive plant in his front yard, WCPO-TV Cincinnati reported Sunday.

Pot plants need 12 hours of sunlight and darkness to grow, Stevenson explained, and watering every three days, the television station said.

In response, the police officer explained to Stevenson that it's illegal to grow marijuana -- and then arrested the budding botanist.