Bismuth silicate (Bi4Si3O12, BSO) crystals including and excluding segregation layers have been grown by the Bridgman method. The morphology and composition of segregation layers existing in the defective crystal were investigated, and the crystallization habit of BSO crystal was discussed. In order to grow large size BSO crystals, several growth techniques were suggested to restrain the segregation layers. The optical properties including transmittance, photoluminescence, X-ray excited luminescence spectra and light yield of BSO crystal were also measured and discussed in this paper. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.