A unique podocarpus-like alpha-Fe2O3/TiO2 composite with balsam pear texture was prepared through an economical and large-scale production route. For this composite, TiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly embedded in the gaps between alpha-Fe(2)O(3 )leaves. When tested as anode material for lithium ion battery, alpha-Fe2O3/TiO2 composite delivered high initial discharge capacity (1534 mAh g(-1) at 200 mA g(-1)) and good cyclic stability (1047 mAh g(-1) after 100 cycles at 200 mA g(-1)), better than those of alpha-Fe2O3/TiO2 composite reported previously. The outstanding electrochemical performance of alpha-Fe2O3/TiO2 should benefit from not only TiO2 nanoparticles for alleviating the structural strain associated with cycling, but also the podocarpus-like structure with balsam pear texture for supplying short electron diffusion pathways and rich active sites. The results showed that the alpha-Fe2O3/TiO2 composite is a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries.