The SrZnO2 of beardlike and sheetlike nanobundles, rod and treelike nanostructures have been synthesized by a citrate-gel combusting synthesis approach. As-prepared SrZnO2 shows orthorhombic structure with Pnma space group and unit cell with the lattice parameters: a = 5.830 A, b = 3.340 A and c = 11.348 A. By increasing the sintering temperature, the beardlike nanobundle gradually dissolved to form microrods and treelike microstructure. Citrate acid exerts a major influence in directing the formation of these unique SrZnO2 microstructures. These materials were analyzed for their use to luminescence materials. The as-made samples exhibit an efficient absorption and excitation band in the UV spectral region (centered at 380 nm). In the same time, the samples of with different morphologies showed a broad yellow emission peak centered at approximately 545 nm which should been associated with the composition and morphologies of sample or from the oxygen vacancies of semiconductor SrZnO2. The material may be used as novel conversion phosphors or host material of phosphor for white-light LEDs.