Effect of the structure-directing agent on the floral (depicting flower) morphological variation of ZnO is systematically studied and presented here. Flowery decorated (resembling flower) zinc oxide structure composed of hexagonal nanorods (sharp tips and wider bases) was synthesized at 90 degrees C using zinc acetate dihydrate and sodium hydroxide at various concentrations of hydroxylamine hydrochloride for 12 h by solution method. Single crystalline nature with the wurtzite hexagonal phase remained unaltered with increasing concentration of hydroxylamine hydrochloride while the morphology changes from nanorod to plate like structure. Photoelectron spectroscopic measurement presented spectra close to the standard bulk ZnO, with an O 1s peak composed of surface adsorbed O-H group, O2- in the oxygen vacancies on ZnO structure and ZnO. At higher concentration (0.8 M), surface adsorbed O-H group increases while other component decreases because of the changes in the nucleation and surface energy. Results clearly indicate that hydroxylamine hydrochloride works as a structure-directing agent without affecting other properties. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.