In-situ observation of growing ettringite crystals in solution has been carried out and the morphology change of ettringite has been investigated under various conditions. In particular, the acceleration behavior of ettringite growth in the presence of calcite, the cause of which is not yet understood, is examined. Spherulite with calcite in its core is formed first followed by the generation of acicular crystals. Compared with the in-situ observation result of crystal growth in a solution with no calcite, the effect of added calcite can be explained as a decrease in the activation energy of nucleation for ettringite around calcite. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.