Recently, shape-controlled synthesis of crystals exposing high-index facets has attracted much research interest due to their importance for both fundamental studies and technological applications. Herein, crystals of rutile-type TiO2 with hierarchical structures exposing high-index facets have been synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method using water-soluble titanium complex as a precursor and picolinic acid as structure-directing and shape-controlling agents. The synthesized particles were composed of several branches of pyramidal crystals with relatively smooth surface. On the basis of investigation results, it was speculated that the mutual π-stacking and selective adsorption of picolinic acid on specific {111} facets resulted in the formation of rutile crystals bound by high-index surfaces such as {331}.