OBJECTIVE: To study the induction and growth of Magnolia officinalis Rehd.et Wils.var.biloba Rehd.et Wils. callus and to compare the content of active components in callus from different sources.METHODS: The factors influencing the induction and growth of Magnolia officinalis Rehd.et Wils.var.biloba Rehd.et Wils. callus were studied by single factor analysis and orthogonal design. The contents of active components in callus from different sources were determined by HPLC. RESULTS: In the various explants, the apical buds and stem fragments exhibited the best ability of dedifferentiation to form callus, followed by pistils. The optimum culture medium of the callus induction was B5+NAA0.1 mg?L-1+6-BA1.0 mg?L-1, while the culture medium B5+NAA0.5 mg?L-1+6-BA4.0 mg?L-1 markedly improved the growth of the callus; after secondary culture of the callus induced by the WPM basic medium, the total content of Magnolol plus Honokiol ranged from 0.167 9% to 0.234 4%, but the induction rate of the callus was low at 33.08%～48.65%. Under the culture condition of MS+NAA0.5 mg?L-1+6-BA1.0 mg?L-1,the rate of callus induction was 62.12% and the total content of Magnolol plus Honokiol after secondary culture was 0.168 6%. CONCLUSION: The results serve as reference in the tissue culture of Magnolia officinalis Rehd.et Wils.var.biloba Rehd.et Wils and the screening of the high production cell line.