A novel poly β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB)-accumulating bacterium, strain SCH17, was isolated from soil samples by butanol enrichment. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA sequence data indicated that the strain SCH17 was a member of the genus Pseudomonas. Transmission electron micrographs showed electron-transparent intracellular granules. The purified sample was extracted from cells with chloroform and was determined as PHB by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Pseudomonas sp. SCH17 was able to accumulate PHB after growth on various carbon and nitrogen substrates. Fructose and fish peptone were the optimal carbon source and the optimal carbon source, respectively. After grown under the optimal conditions for 14 h, the maximum cell dry weight of 3.52 g/L with the PHB concentration of 2.69 g/L was obtained, and the PHB content was up to 76%.