This invention is directed to a method for efficiently separating and purifying 13-dehydroxybaccatin III and 10-deacetylpaclitaxel with a high purity of 90% or higher purity, preferably 99.5% or higher purity, from taxane-containing materials such as Taxus species, and the thusly obtained highly pure 13-dehydroxybaccatin III and 10-deacetylpaclitaxel can be used as semi-synthetic precursors of paclitaxel and/or docetaxel that are anticancer agents.