Tucker tucker <tucker@ticon.net>) was concerned because his "Bontone Rooting Powder" had as Active ingredient: Indole-3-butyric acid 0.10%." He further mentioned it was "for ornamentals only." Did it specifically say this on the instructions? My "Rootone" has four formidable-sounding active ingredients including 0.057% indole-3-butyric acid. It's greatest hazard appears to be the 4% Thiram present in the compound as a fungicide. Its directions mention only ornamental plants, but I have used it somewhat successfully for rosemary, sage and C. pubescens. Indole-3-butyric acid is listed for stimulating root growth in the Merck Index and has a LD i.p. (intraperitoneal? - injected into the gut?) of 100 mg/Kg in mice. Strychnine has an oral MLD of 5 mg/Kg in rats according to the same source. The rooting hormone is much less toxic than strychnine. When you think about it, using these agents to root chile cuttings is a fairly low-risk venture. The huge number of mitigating factors include: extremely low initial dose, watery rooting medium, dilution through growth of the plant and remoteness of the fruit from the root where the hormone was applied. Time for metabolic conversion or decomposition is also a factor; you are not going to pick a fruit from a cutting the day after you make it. With these products, at least you are getting what is on the label, however scary that may be. The "natural" alternative, willow extract, will also contain other trace compounds and may include components from any disease the tree may have or from soil fungi. George