The　fabrication　of　hierarchical　porous　carbons　with　super-high　surface　areas　from　sustainable　biomass　is　still　challenging.　Silica　nanocasting　and　KOH　activation　are　amenable　to　porosity　introduction　and　therefore　remain　the　most　crucial　pathways　for　porous　carbon　synthesis.　However,　these　methods　are　multistep　and　rather　energy-intensive　processes.　In　the　present　work,　a　series　of　hierarchical　porous　carbon　monoliths　were　prepared　from　fructose　by　a　one-step　ionothermal　carbonization　approach　using　an　iron-based　ionic　liquid　as　solvent,　and　a　porogenic　agent.　Importantly,　the　prepared　carbon　materials　show　narrow　bi-modal　pore　distributions　and　possess　super-high　surface　areas　of　ca.　1200　m2　g-1,　which　is　the　highest　value　in　hydrothermal　carbons　as　far　as　we　know.　The　morphology　of　the　monolithic　carbons　consists　of　interconnected　carbon　particles　with　fairly　small　particle　sizes　of　ca.　30-50　nm.　Moreover,　the　spent　ionic　liquids　could　be　easily　recovered　by　Soxhlet　extraction,　at　above　98%　for　the　cycle　of　ionothermal　carbonization.　Owing　to　their　favorable　textural　properties,　the　impact　of　the　porosity　of　the　ionothermal　carbons　on　their　electrochemical　capacitive　performance　was　investigated.　The　ionothermal　carbons　exhibit　a　high　specific　capacitance　of　245　F　g-1　at　a　current　density　of　1　A　g-1.　The　promising　capacitive　performance　could　be　attributed　to　the　high　surface　areas　and　well-controlled　micro-　and　mesoporosities　of　the　carbons.　In　addition,　the　hierarchical　porosity　and　high　surface　area　of　the　carbon　lend　it　to　highly　efficient　adsorption　of　methyl　orange　(qe　=　240　mg　g-1)　and　malachite　green　(qe　=　170　mg　g-1)　from　wastewater.　©　2016　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.