I'm guessing you saw a Japanese Maple Tree. There are several different
varieties that have deeply grooved leaves and are tinged with burgundy or
completely red in color. Yes, they do look like marijuana plants!

They usually grow best in a bright light, shady area or just a little
morning sun only. Many people have them in corners near the front of their
houses in a shady spot as a nice focal point upon entering the house. You
can also grow them in a large pot.

Hope this helps.

Penny
Zone 7b - North Carolina
"Natty_Dread" wrote in message
...
I saw an interesting shrub today and I'm wondering if someone might be
able
to identify it. Actually, I guess it was more of a small tree than a
shrub -- it was about 4 feet tall with a weeping shape (although the shape
might have been contrived, since I saw it at a fancy office building). It
had long, thin branches that drooped downward (hence the weeping), and
each
branch had a series of regularly-spaced leaf shoots placed in twos
opposing
each other. Each leaf shoot had seven-fingered pattern that looked
exactly
like marijuana. (hehe...That's what caught my eye at first!) The
branches
were a mossy green color and the leaves a darker green tinged with
burgundy.
The leaves really did look almost exactly like pot leaves -- they had the
same long, tapered shape with jagged edges in the same leaf pattern,
except
they weren't as wide as marijuana leaves.

I don't have a photo of the tree/shrub/bush, but if any of you master
gardeners out there know what it might be, please let me know. It was
really beautiful and I'd like to find a couple plant. I sneaked a small
cutting and am trying to root it, so I'd really like to know what it is.

Cheers,
Rhonda
Alexandria, VA - Zone 7a/b