The　semiconductor　metal　oxide,　ZnO,　is　limited　to　application　in　photocatalysis　because　of　large　bandgap.　Metallic　nanostructures　are　utilized　to　enhance　visible-light　absorption　and　improve　photocatalytic　activity　via　surface　plasmon　resonance　(SPR).　In　this　work,　through　a　facile　thermal　decomposition　method,　the　Au　nanoparticles　(NPs)　were　successfully　loaded　on　oriented　hierarchical　ZnO　flower-rod　(ZFRs)　heterostructures,　which　have　a　higher　areal　proportion　of　exposed　active　(001)　crystal　faces.　The　results　indicate　that　ZFRs　are　wurtzite　phase　grown　along　the　[001]　direction　and　the　Au　NPs　spread　on　the　surface　of　ZFRs　in　metallic　form.　It　reveals　that　there　is　an　electronic　interaction　between　Au　NPs　and　ZFRs,　and　more　oxygen　molecules　are　adsorbed　on　the　surface　of　Au-ZnO　flower-rod　heterostructures　(AZFRs).　The　AZFRs　show　a　strong　absorbance　in　visible　region　due　to　the　SPR　and　enhance　the　separation　of　electron-hole　pair,　resulting　in　an　improvement　of　photocatalytic　activity　under　visible-light　irradiation.　During　80　min,　the　degradation　efficiency　of　rhodamine　B　for　AZFRs-20　is　about　3.7　times　as　the　pure　ZFRs.　Moreover,　the　AZFRs　exhibit　predominant　photoelectrochemical　properties,　and　the　photocurrent　can　reach　1.2　×　10-4　A.　Finally,　the　as-prepared　photocatalytic　device　composed　of　AZFRs　based　on　indium　doped　tin　oxide　glass　is　convenient　to　recycle　without　centrifugation.　©　2013　Springer　Science+Business　Media　New　York.