Localized {100} fiber textured diamond films were grown by addition of 20–200 ppm nitrogen into the gas phase during hot‐filament chemical‐vapor deposition (CVD). Cathodoluminescence indicates the presence of the nitrogen‐vacancy system in the {100} textured diamond, whereas a blue ‘‘band A’’ luminescence is normally observed in diamond films grown without nitrogen addition. The results demonstrate that the nature of the substrates used for growth has no appreciable influence on the {100} texture, which implies that this fiber texture is obtained by competitive growth and selection of facets. The interaction of nitrogen with the {100} surface is a highly important factor in this process. Homoepitaxial growth shows that the addition of a small amount of nitrogen greatly enhances the growth rate of the {100} faces, making ⟨100⟩ the fastest growth direction in comparison with the ⟨110⟩ and ⟨111⟩ directions. This is attributed to breaking of a part of the dimers on the (2×1) reconstructed {100} surface by nitrogen compounds. The {100} texture in narrow, ring‐shaped areas on diamond layers grown by the flame technique can also be attributed to the occurrence of a certain amount of nitrogen in the gas phase. It is demonstrated that the flame grown polycrystalline diamond layers have morphologies and cathodoluminescence features that are consistent with those observed in the hot‐filament CVD diamond films grown with the addition of nitrogen. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.