The paper reports the metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxial (MOVPE) growth of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods on Al2O3(00·1) substrates at 400 °C without using any metal catalysts. Electron microscopy revealed uniform distributions in diameter, length, and density, with a mean diameter of 25 nm. X-ray diffraction confirmed epitaxial growth with homogeneous in-plane alignment and c-axis orientation. Photoluminescence spectra showed strong and narrow excitonic emission and weak deep level emission, indicating high optical quality. The growth mechanism was non-catalytic, as evidenced by the absence of metal clusters at the nanorod tips. The results demonstrate the potential of MOVPE for fabricating high-quality ZnO nanorods for electronic and photonic applications.The paper reports the metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxial (MOVPE) growth of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods on Al2O3(00·1) substrates at 400 °C without using any metal catalysts. Electron microscopy revealed uniform distributions in diameter, length, and density, with a mean diameter of 25 nm. X-ray diffraction confirmed epitaxial growth with homogeneous in-plane alignment and c-axis orientation. Photoluminescence spectra showed strong and narrow excitonic emission and weak deep level emission, indicating high optical quality. The growth mechanism was non-catalytic, as evidenced by the absence of metal clusters at the nanorod tips. The results demonstrate the potential of MOVPE for fabricating high-quality ZnO nanorods for electronic and photonic applications.