As with many horticultural myths, there is a kernel of truth...
While honey does not contain auxins (the plant hormones responsible for stimulating root development), it does offer properties that may support the rooting process under certain conditions.
Honey exhibits well-documented antibacterial and antifungal properties, primarily due to its enzymatic production of hydrogen peroxide and high sugar concentration. When applied to cuttings, it may help reduce infection at the wound site, creating a cleaner environment for root initiation.
Its viscous texture allows honey to seal the cut surface of a stem, limiting desiccation and offering some moisture retention. This can be helpful in environments with fluctuating temperatures or low humidity.
Honey contains trace minerals, vitamins, and simple sugars, though in quantities too low to serve as significant nutritional supplements. Still, these components may support cell metabolism in early rooting stages.
Several studies have explored honey’s effectiveness as a rooting agent, with mixed outcomes:
A study by the University of Hawai‘i, College of Tropical Agriculture, found that while honey demonstrated some ability to promote rooting, its effectiveness was limited and inconsistent compared to synthetic rooting compounds.
A New Zealand nursery trial compared Manuka honey, multiflora honey, a commercial rooting compound, and a control group. Multiflora honey produced the best root development and the fewest failed cuttings—outperforming both the synthetic treatment and Manuka honey. This suggests that the type and processing of honey matter significantly.
If you are using this method, always use raw, unprocessed honey, as pasteurisation reduces both enzymatic and antimicrobial activity.
Seriously, though, no one should be buying honey from the supermarket anymore, anyway!
So, is the myth busted?
Not entirely. Honey may provide moderate rooting support, particularly for softwood or easy-to-root species, due to its antimicrobial qualities and wound-sealing ability.
However, it does not replicate the function of auxin-based rooting hormones (like IBA or NAA), which actively stimulate root initiation at the cellular level.
If you are in the mood for experimentation, certain types of honey can be useful when doing cuttings.
If you need results more than experiments, products like Rootex Cutting Powder or Gel should be used due to their consistency and proven performance.