Aaron Tusmith wrote:Thanks for the input everyone, but the thing that had puzzled me is that initially the cuttings were all mixed together so that every container had at least one willow in it. I figured the presence of the willows would provide that needed hormone and help all of the cuttings form roots. However the maples and lindens just continue to form leaves -and now little branches but no roots. I will try some aloe though!
Having a willow branch in the same water is unfortunately not the same as having willow water.
When a willow branch is placed either in the ground or in a container or in just water, the enzymes that are responsible for forming roots are contained by the bark of the branch, so they only affect the
wood they are touching.
When we make willow water, we are crushing the cambium which releases the enzymes into the water which then becomes a rooting compound (water+ willow enzymes), when we then place even hard to root plant stems in that water, the enzymes do their job and force roots to form.
When you are rooting branches this way it is a good idea to use a knife and cut several slits in the bark of the subject branch(s) before placing in the willow water, that way the enzymes can get to the subject plant endoderm and those cells will start producing root cells.
While Aloe works in a similar manner I tend to keep my aloe for burns and cuts for the most part. (I only have one aloe plant at this point)
Redhawk