Controlled aqueous growth of 1 mu m flower-shaped ZnO particles with a hierarchical subset of exposed nanosheets represented by {2 (1) over bar0} crystal faces, followed by annealing at temperatures up to 1000 degrees C, is presented. The flower-shaped particles showed superior photocatalytic performance compared to the crystal faces of 20 nm ZnO nanoparticles. The photocatalytic reaction rate of the flower-shaped particles before annealing was 2.4 times higher per m(2) compared with that of the nanoparticles with double specific surface area. Crystal surface defects and nanosized pores within the flower-shaped particles were revealed by porosity measurements and electron microscopy. A heat treatment at 400 degrees C was found to be optimal for removal of nanoporosity/surface defects and impurities while retaining the hierarchical superstructure. The heat treatment resulted in a photodegradation efficiency that increased by an additional 43%, although the specific surface area decreased from 16.7 to 13.0 m(2)g(-1). The enhanced photocatalytic effect remained intact under both acidic and alkaline environments owing to the {2 (1) over bar0} crystal surfaces, which were less prone to dissolution than the nanoparticles. The photocatalytic performance relied on primarily three factors: the removal of surface impurities, the oxygen termination of the {2 (1) over bar0} crystal faces, and the promotion of charge carrier lifetime by removal of lattice defects acting as recombination centers. The synthesis presented is an entirely hydrocarbon and surfactant-free ("green") preparation scheme, and the formation of the flower-shaped particles was favored solely by optimization of the reaction temperature after the correct nitrate salt precursor concentrations had been established.