New materials and device concepts are in great demand for continual (opto)electronic device scaling and performance enhancement. Arsenide III-V semiconductor nanowires promise novel device architectures and superior (opto)electronic properties. Recent insights into the growth and optimal control over the InAs and GaAs nanowire morphology and distinguished key physical aspects in their growth are discussed. Direct correlation of individual nanowire crystal structure with their electronic transport properties is also presented. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.