thanks for the eye opening subject. the question spurring me onto google searching. I never knew adding a little honey to boiling water and soaking cuttings in it will help rooting by killing bacteria but the willow water actually has hormones or something that spurs new growth faster. the google searching turned up 7 or 8 different things to help with rooting cuttings besides the little bottle of white hormone powder I';m so accustomed to.
these I found are
spitting on clipping,
apple cider vinegar , 3 tsp/to 1 gal water
ground cinnamon powder
honey, 1 tbsp to 2 cups boiling water
aspirin 1 aspirin dissolved in gallon warm water
willow tea or willow water
aloe vera, pureed aloe gel in blender with bit of water