TiO2 nanorods (NRs) and nanoflowers (NFs) were synthesized on conductive and nonconductive sides of fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO-glass) substrate using a facile hydrothermal method. The effects of growth substrates on the various TiO2 morphologies and the optical performance of the different morphologies were also investigated. The average length of the TiO2 NRs was approximately 4.5 µm with a diameter of 175–215 nm. The average diameter of the TiO2 NFs was ca. 7.2 µm. The band gap values of the NRs and NFs were calculated to be 2.86 and 2.93 eV, respectively. Under illumination of UV-light, the prepared TiO2 NRs photocatalyzed the degradation of methyl orange at a higher rate than that of the TiO2 NFs, which can be attributed to the larger specific surface area of the TiO2 NRs.