# Rooting hormone

> Rooting hormone is an auxin preparation, usually indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), applied to a cutting's base to speed and increase root formation.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/rooting-hormone.html
- Also written: rooting gel, rooting powder, cloning gel, auxin dip, rooting compound
- Glossary category: Cultivation and training · Evidence: Supported
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Rooting hormone is a product containing a synthetic [auxin](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/auxin.md), most often indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and sometimes naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), in a gel, powder or liquid. Auxin applied to a fresh wound stimulates the formation of adventitious roots, so treated cuttings root sooner and more evenly.

## In practice

Dip the freshly cut stem base into a small portion of product (never back into the stock container, which spreads pathogens), tap off excess and set it into the rooting medium. Cannabis is not a hard-to-root species; many cuttings root in plain water or [rockwool](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/rockwool.md) without hormone, but hormone usually shortens the time and evens out the batch. Concentrations for softwood cuttings are commonly in the low thousands of ppm for quick dips and lower for gels.

Willow water and honey are folk alternatives; evidence for them in cannabis is thin.

## Don't confuse with

- **Root stimulator (feed)**: a nutrient or [biostimulant](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/biostimulant.md) product for rooted plants, not an auxin for cuttings.
- **Cloning solution**: often a mild nutrient plus sanitiser for [aeroponic](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/aeroponics.md) cloners.

## Related terms

[Cloning](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cloning.md), [Cutting](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cutting.md), [Auxin](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/auxin.md), [Cloning dome](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cloning-dome.md)

## Read more

- [Clone-only cuts and how to preserve them](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/breeding/clone-only-preservation.md)