We studied the effect of Zn2+ source concentration on the structural and optical properties of hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods. The nanorods were grown on ZnO/p-Si(111) substrate using by a hydrothermal process in various concentrations of reagent at a low temperature (approximately 95 degrees C) and the structural and optical characteristics of ZnO nanorods were subsequently investigated by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and room temperature photoluminescence. The results demonstrate that the morphology and crystallinity of ZnO nanorods are influenced by the overall concentration of the precursor. The density and diameter of ZnO nanorods with a hexagonal structure are especially sensitivite to concentration of reactants. Furthermore, the structural transition is shown by increasing concentration. At the lowest concentration of Zn2+, the ZnO nanorods grow as single crystals with a low density and variable orientations. On the contrary, at the highest concentration, the nanorods grow as polycrystas due to the supersaturated Zn2+ source.