PURPOSE: To provide a sublimation method for the growth of a silicon carbide single crystal free from impurity contamination, crystal defects, etc., keeping the polymorphism of the seed crystal and having high quality.

CONSTITUTION: A crucible 1 is heated with a heater 5 to apply a prescribed temperature gradient to the crucible. When the part holding the raw material powder 2 is heated to a sublimable temperature range and the part holding a seed crystal 4 is heated to a temperature range to enable the growth of crystal, the crucible 1 is shifted with an operation shaft 9 to expose the seed crystal 4 to a sublimable temperature atmosphere. The state is maintained for a prescribed period to remove the surface layer of the seed crystal 4 by sublimation. The cleaned seed crystal 4 is transferred to the temperature range to enable the crystal growth and the crystal growth is started. Since a single crystal is grown on the cleaned surface of the seed crystal 4, the polymorphism of the seed crystal 4 is succeeded as it is to the grown crystal to obtain a silicon carbide single crystal free from impurity contamination, crystal defects, etc., and having stoichiometrical uniformity and high quality.