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Abstract Anisotropic growth of nanostructures from individual nickel nanoparticles was observed during in situ heating experiments in an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) at 800°C under water vapor atmosphere. The morphology of nanostructures exhibited one directional growth with rates ranging below 1.8 nm/s. Energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and selected area electron diffraction confirmed NiO stoichiometry of the growing nanostructures. Variations of the oxygen partial pressure during ex situ annealing and in situ ESEM heating experiments elucidate that anisotropic NiO growth is energetically favored in areas where the local surface energy density is relatively high. Growth of NiO nanostructures was absent in dry air and dry nitrogen environments and required the presence of water vapor. The results of this study suggest that the manipulation of surface energy prior to exposure to water vapor at elevated temperatures can prevent unwanted oxide nanostructure growth.