In order to further increase the shoot regeneration frequency of Artemisia annua L., the effects of silver nitrate on this process was investigated in this study. Different concentration of silver nitrate was added to the shoot induction medium, which was MS basic medium containing 1.0 mg l⁻¹ 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) and 0.05 mg l⁻¹ α-napthaleneacetic acid (NAA). When 2 mg l⁻¹ silver nitrate was added to the shoot induction medium, the shoot induction frequency and shoot number per explants was significantly higher than that of the control (without silver nitrate). In addition, silver nitrate at all the tested concentrations could significantly reduce callus formation of the explants. Silver nitrate had also positive influence on shoot elongation in the first 20 days. Furthermore, silver nitrate did not affect the sensitivity of A. annua shoots to Kanamycin (KM); therefore, silver nitrate could be used to improve shoot regeneration capacity and frequency in A. annua genetic transformation.