A good rooting hormone turns a hit-or-miss propagation session into a reliable one. The active ingredient in almost every product on this list is a synthetic auxin—usually indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), sometimes paired with 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA)—and it does one job well: it pushes a freshly cut stem to form root initials faster and in greater numbers than it would on its own. That matters most for the cuttings that fight you: woody shrubs, semi-ripe stems, and anything that tends to rot before it roots. For easy stuff like pothos, coleus, or willow, you barely need it. For dwarf conifers, Japanese maples, blueberries, and most hardwood cuttings, it’s the difference between a flat of survivors and a flat of slime.
The catch is that "rooting hormone" covers three very different formats—powder, gel, and liquid concentrate—at IBA strengths ranging from about 0.1% for soft green tips up to 0.8% (and higher in pro concentrates) for stubborn woody material. Pick the wrong strength and you either get no response or you burn the cut surface and stall the cutting entirely. This guide ranks seven products we’d actually keep on the potting bench, explains what each is best at, and closes with a buyer’s guide so you can match the format and strength to the cuttings in front of you.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you.
Key Takeaways
- Match strength to wood: ~0.1% IBA for softwood/herbaceous, ~0.3% for semi-ripe, ~0.8% for hardwood and woody shrubs.
- Powder is the most forgiving all-rounder and stores for years; gel coats evenly and resists drips; liquid concentrate is cheapest per cutting and lets you dial the strength.
- Never dip into the original container. Pour a small amount into a separate dish so you don’t contaminate the whole jar—and discard the leftover.
- Hormone won’t fix a bad cutting. Clean tools, the right node, a sterile mix, and humidity matter more than the brand you buy.
- Best overall for most home growers: Garden Safe TakeRoot powder for value; Hormex liquid concentrate if you propagate a wide range of species.
| Product | Best For | Key Spec |
|---|---|---|
| Garden Safe TakeRoot | Best value all-rounder | Powder, 0.1% IBA |
| Bonide Bontone II | Softwood & houseplant cuttings | Powder, 0.1% IBA |
| Hormex Liquid Concentrate | Mixed/woody species, dilutable | Liquid, ~0.31% IBA |
| Clonex Rooting Gel | Cloning & no-drip coating | Gel, 0.3% IBA |
| Hormodin / Hormex #8 | Hardwood & woody shrubs | Powder, 0.8% IBA |
| Bonide Bontone Hardwood | Stubborn woody cuttings, budget | Powder, higher IBA |
| Olivia’s Cloning Gel | Soft cuttings & cloning | Gel, low IBA |
1. Garden Safe TakeRoot Rooting Hormone — Best Value All-Rounder
Garden Safe TakeRoot is the powder most people reach for first, and for good reason: it’s cheap, widely stocked, and the 0.1% IBA strength is forgiving enough that beginners rarely overdose a cutting. The fine white powder clings well to a freshly cut, slightly damp stem, and a single 2-ounce container will treat hundreds of cuttings before it expires. We’ve used it on coleus, geraniums, hydrangea softwood, salvia, and tomato suckers with consistently better strike rates than untreated controls dipped in the same flat.
The 0.1% concentration is its ceiling as much as its strength. On genuine hardwood cuttings—dormant grape, fig, or rose canes—you’ll get some rooting but not the percentages a 0.8% product delivers. Treat TakeRoot as your everyday powder for green and semi-soft material, and keep a stronger product on the shelf for the woody jobs. Tap a little into a separate dish, dip, and toss the excess; never return powder to the jar.
Pros
- Inexpensive and stocked almost everywhere
- Forgiving 0.1% strength—hard to overdose
- Long shelf life as a dry powder
- Excellent on softwood and houseplant cuttings
Cons
- Too weak for true hardwood cuttings
- Powder can clump if exposed to moisture
- No NAA, so single-pathway hormone only
2. Bonide Bontone II Rooting Powder — Best for Softwood & Houseplants
Bonide Bontone II is the closest direct competitor to TakeRoot—another 0.1% IBA powder—and it’s a coin-flip which you prefer. Bontone II’s powder is a touch finer in our experience, which helps it adhere to slender, soft stems like begonia, impatiens, and basil. It’s a reliable choice for the indoor propagator working through trays of houseplant cuttings, where the gentle strength avoids the burn that knocks back tender tissue.
Like any 0.1% powder it’s underpowered for woody material, and the small jar means high-volume growers will reorder. But for the home gardener rooting windowsill plants and tender perennials, it does exactly what it should at a low price. Moisten the cut end so the powder sticks, tap off the excess, and insert into a pre-made hole so you don’t scrape the coating off on the way in.
Pros
- Fine powder adheres well to soft stems
- Gentle 0.1% strength suits tender tissue
- Budget-friendly and easy to find
- Great for indoor/houseplant propagation
Cons
- Underpowered for hardwood cuttings
- Small container for volume growers
- Powder format can be messy outdoors in wind
3. Hormex Liquid Concentrate — Best for Mixed & Woody Species
If you propagate a wide range of plants—some soft, some woody—a dilutable liquid concentrate is the smartest single purchase, and Hormex is the one we keep. The undiluted concentrate is roughly 0.31% IBA, and Hormex publishes a dilution chart that lets you mix a quick-dip solution tuned to each species. Soft cuttings get a heavily diluted dip; woody ones get a stronger one. That flexibility is something no single fixed-strength powder can match.
The quick-dip method (a 3–5 second dip in the mixed solution) is also less wasteful and less prone to contamination than powders, since you mix only what you need and discard it. The trade-offs: you have to mix accurately, the concentrate doesn’t store forever once opened, and getting the dilution wrong is easier than with a pre-set powder. For a propagator who values control and works across many genera, it’s the most versatile bottle on the bench.
Pros
- Dilutable to any strength via the chart
- Quick-dip method is fast and low-waste
- One bottle covers soft through woody cuttings
- Less contamination risk than shared powder jars
Cons
- Requires accurate mixing each time
- Shorter shelf life than dry powder once opened
- Higher upfront cost than a basic powder
4. Clonex Rooting Gel — Best for Cloning & No-Drip Coating
Clonex is the gel that made gels popular. It’s a viscous, brightly colored 0.3% IBA formula that clings to the cut surface, seals it against air, and holds the hormone in contact with the tissue—no drips, no dust, no guessing whether the coating stuck. That tight coating is why it dominates among people cloning soft cuttings in trays and aeroponic units, where a clean, sealed cut and even hormone contact drive consistent strike rates.
At 0.3% IBA it sits in the semi-ripe range—stronger than a 0.1% powder but not a true hardwood product—so it’s ideal for soft and semi-soft material rather than dormant woody canes. As with every product here, decant a little into a separate cup and dip into that, never the bottle, to keep the main supply sterile. It costs more per ounce than powder, but the convenience and the visible, even coating win a lot of converts.
Pros
- Clings and seals the cut—no drips or dust
- Even, visible coating every time
- 0.3% strength suits semi-ripe and soft cuttings
- Favored for cloning and aeroponic setups
Cons
- More expensive per cutting than powder
- Not strong enough for true hardwood
- Gel can dry out if the cap is left off
5. Hormodin 3 / Hormex #8 — Best for Hardwood & Woody Shrubs
When the cutting is woody—dormant rose canes, junipers, boxwood, blueberry, fig, or grape—you need a high-strength powder, and the 0.8% IBA tier is where serious propagators live. Hormodin 3 is the classic nursery-grade 0.8% powder; Hormex #8 is an equivalent high number in the Hormex powder lineup. At this strength you get root initiation on material that a 0.1% product barely touches, and the percentages on stubborn shrubs climb dramatically.
The flip side of that power is that it will burn soft tissue—do not use 0.8% on green softwood cuttings. Keep it strictly for woody and dormant material. These are also sold in larger nursery quantities, so a jar lasts the hobbyist a very long time provided it’s kept dry and sealed. Decant, dip the base, knock off the excess, and insert into pre-dibbed holes in a gritty, free-draining medium.
Pros
- 0.8% IBA roots difficult woody cuttings
- Nursery-grade results on shrubs and dormant canes
- Large jar lasts hobbyists for years
- Industry-standard, well-proven formula
Cons
- Too strong—will burn soft cuttings
- Higher price and often larger pack sizes
- Overkill for everyday houseplant work
6. Bonide Bontone Hardwood Rooting Powder — Best Budget Woody Option
If the dedicated 0.8% nursery powders feel like more than you need, Bonide’s higher-strength Bontone formulation aimed at tougher cuttings is a budget bridge between the 0.1% everyday powders and full hardwood concentrations. It gives the woody-cutting grower a meaningful step up in IBA without committing to a large nursery jar, and it’s priced for the home gardener who only roots a handful of shrub cuttings a season.
Because Bonide’s product range and labeling can vary, always check the IBA percentage on the container you receive and match it to your material—don’t assume strength from the brand alone. Used on semi-ripe and lightly woody cuttings (lavender, rosemary, hydrangea hardwood, viburnum) it earns its place. For the truly stubborn dormant canes, the 0.8% products above still root a higher percentage.
Pros
- Stronger than basic 0.1% powders for woody work
- Affordable home-sized container
- Good on semi-ripe shrub cuttings
- Widely available alongside the standard Bontone
Cons
- Check the label—strength varies by product
- Not as potent as 0.8% nursery powders
- Still too strong for tender softwood
7. Olivia’s Cloning Gel — Best for Soft Cuttings & Cloning
Olivia’s Cloning Gel is the other gel that shows up constantly in cloning circles, prized for a thick, sticky consistency that coats and seals soft cuttings beautifully. Like Clonex it’s a lower-strength gel aimed at green and semi-soft material rather than hardwood, and the no-drip, no-dust handling makes it pleasant to work with on trays of identical cuttings. Many propagators keep both gels and simply grab whichever is open.
The gel format’s advantages are the same across the category: even coverage, sealed cut surfaces, and clean handling. The same caution applies too—decant into a separate cup, dip, and never reintroduce the used gel into the bottle. It’s not the tool for dormant woody canes, but for soft cuttings, herbaceous perennials, and clones it’s a dependable, mess-free choice that pairs well with a humidity dome and bottom heat.
Pros
- Thick gel seals and coats soft cuttings well
- Clean, no-drip, no-dust handling
- Excellent for cloning and herbaceous cuttings
- Pairs well with domes and bottom heat
Cons
- Low strength—not for hardwood cuttings
- Costs more per cutting than powder
- Can dry out if not sealed promptly
How to Choose a Rooting Hormone: Buyer’s Guide
The single most important decision is matching IBA strength to the type of wood. As a working rule: use about 0.1% IBA for softwood and herbaceous cuttings (coleus, geraniums, basil, most houseplants); about 0.3% for semi-ripe and lightly woody cuttings (lavender, rosemary, hydrangea, hebe); and around 0.8% for hardwood and stubborn woody shrubs (roses, junipers, blueberry, fig, grape). Going too strong burns the cut surface and stalls the cutting; going too weak just wastes the dip. When in doubt, start a notch lower—an under-dose costs you a slightly slower start, an over-dose can kill the cutting outright.
Powder vs. gel vs. liquid
Powder is the cheapest, longest-lasting, and most forgiving format—the best default for general use and the only practical option at the highest hardwood strengths. Gel coats evenly, seals the cut, and handles cleanly with no drips or dust, which is why cloners love it; it’s ideal for soft and semi-ripe material. Liquid concentrate is the most economical per cutting and the only format you can dial to any strength via a dilution chart, making it the smart pick if you propagate many different species. Many serious propagators keep a cheap powder, one gel, and a concentrate, and choose by the cutting in hand.
Active ingredient and technique
Most products use IBA; some add NAA, which can improve results on certain hard-to-root species by recruiting a second hormonal pathway. Honestly, for the home grower the format and strength matter more than IBA-vs-IBA+NAA. Far more important is technique: take cuttings from healthy, non-flowering growth, cut just below a node with a clean blade, strip the lower leaves, dip only the base, knock off excess, and insert into pre-dibbed holes in a sterile, free-draining mix. Then keep humidity high with a dome and warmth at the roots. The hormone is a multiplier, not a rescue—it can’t save a contaminated cutting or a stem taken at the wrong time. For more on collecting good material, see our guide to taking softwood cuttings, and browse the full Tools & Gear hub for the rest of your propagation kit.
Storage and safety
Keep powders bone-dry and sealed—moisture clumps them and shortens their life. Store gels capped and out of heat so they don’t dry out. Decant concentrates only as you mix. The golden rule across all three: never dip directly into the original container. Pour a small working amount into a separate dish, dip from that, and discard the leftover so you don’t seed your whole supply with pathogens from a contaminated stem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need rooting hormone?
Not for easy plants—pothos, willow, coleus, and mint root readily in water or soil without it. You do want it for woody and semi-ripe cuttings (roses, lavender, blueberry, junipers) where it dramatically raises strike rates and speeds rooting.
What strength should I use for hardwood cuttings?
Around 0.8% IBA. That’s the nursery-grade tier (Hormodin 3, Hormex #8) and it’s what reliably roots dormant woody canes. Don’t use that strength on soft green cuttings—it will burn them. Stick to ~0.1% for softwood.
Is powder, gel, or liquid best?
Powder is the most forgiving and longest-lasting all-rounder and the only practical high-strength option. Gel coats cleanly and seals soft cuttings—great for cloning. Liquid concentrate is cheapest per cutting and dilutable to any strength, best if you root many species.
Can I use too much rooting hormone?
Yes. Over-dosing—especially using a high-strength hardwood powder on soft tissue—burns the cut surface and stalls or kills the cutting. Always knock off the excess and match the strength to the wood type.
Does rooting hormone expire?
Dry powders last for years if kept sealed and dry; many growers use them well past the printed date with no issue. Gels and mixed liquid solutions degrade faster—cap gels tightly and mix only the liquid you’ll use that session.
Bottom line: for most home gardeners a 0.1% powder like Garden Safe TakeRoot handles the bulk of softwood and houseplant work, a 0.3% gel makes cloning clean and reliable, and a dilutable liquid concentrate or an 0.8% hardwood powder rounds out the bench for woody cuttings. Pick by the wood in your hand, keep your tools and mix clean, and the hormone will do the rest. When you’re ready to start a fresh batch, pair your hormone with the right environment—see our guide to taking hardwood cuttings for the woody jobs.