Mechanical properties of Al 2 O 3 /Y 3 Al 5 O 12 /ZrO 2 ternary eutectic ceramics are strongly affected by structural defects as pores or colonies. Experimental investigation of the microstructure of this ternary composite indicates that the colonies are generally observed when the solidification occurs at high rates. In this work, the influence of the growth rate on the solid-liquid interface shape and formation of colonies in directional solidification of Al 2 O 3 /Y 3 Al 5 O 12 /ZrO 2 by Bridgman, Edge-defined Film-fed Growth (EFG), and Czochralski (Cz) methods is numerically and experimentally investigated. Numerical modeling of the Bridgman growth process shows large curvatures of the solid-liquid interface when the pulling rate is increased up to 80 mm/h. The ingots solidified at rates between 5 and 80 mm/h exhibit colony type microstructure. The analysis of EFG growth of ceramic ribbons reveals less curved solid-liquid interfaces in this system. Numerical modeling shows significant increase in the interface curvature with increasing pulling rate. The microstructure of ribbons grown at pulling rates between 6 and 12 mm/h exhibits colonies only for the ingots solidified at higher rate. Simula-