Potassium aluminum borate K2Al2B2O7 (KABO) crystal with seeds oriented along < 001 >, < 110 > and <(1) over bar(1) over bar0 > were grown, respectively, and the best growth direction was obtained. More importantly, the mechanism of the best direction is revealed for the fist time by using growth unit model. Surface structural studies on as-obtained KABO crystal are also reported. The anisotropic growth habit along [110] direction has successfully been explained in this article. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.