I wonder the same thing about Basil cuttings. They are so easy to root, I may root a couple, then water my other cuttings with that water. Nothing ventured....... :-)

The process of the movement of the 'rooting hormone' was called the "Translocation of Auxins" and his been demonstrated for many years that this happens throughout the plant. I have not found any good science that says the hormone is moved out into the rooting medium, in this case water, but I keep looking.

I've always heard that willow cuttings produce auxin in water and were used 'in the old days' to propagate other plants. Here's a link to an article about it.

willow cuttings

Excellent link Kiddo_1. I particularly like it because it comes out and states that willow cuttings secrete a kind of magic rooting compound.

Ya gotta love 'magic'. :-D

I will be going to the local pond soon.Thanks for the help.

I find the willow water is even better than seaweed or kelp, witch(oops) is saying something.
Lisa