Floriated　ZnFe2O4　with　porous　nanorod　structures　were　successfully　synthesized　via　mild　hydrothermal　and　calcination　processes　by　using　cetyltrimethylammonium　bromide　(CTABr)　as　a　template-directing　reagent.　The　resulting　ZnFe2O4　was　characterized　by　X-ray　powder　diffraction　(XRD),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS),　UV-vis　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy　(DRS)　and　nitrogen　adsorption　measurement.　It　was　found　that　the　floriated　ZnFe2O4　nanostructures　were　composed　of　porous　nanorods　with　an　average　length　of　122　nm　and　diameter　of　29　nm.　The　obtained　ZnFe2O4　with　a　bandgap　of　∼1.94　eV　was　firstly　used　as　a　visible-light-driven　photocatalyst　for　hydrogen　production,　and　exhibits　remarkable　photostability　in　an　aqueous　suspension　by　using　CH　3OH　as　a　sacrificial　reagent.　Moreover,　the　possible　photo-reaction　mechanism　for　the　hydrogen　production　from　CH3OH　aqueous　solution　was　proposed　for　better　understanding　the　photocatalytic　behavior　of　ZnFe　2O4　without　Pt-loading.　©　2010　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.