SnO2 nanorod arrays were hierarchically assembled onto the surface of alpha-Fe2O3 nanotubes via a facile solution method. Determined by the hexagonal geometrical nature of the alpha-Fe2O3 nanotubes, the heterostructures were of 6-fold symmetry. HRTEM characterizations demonstrated that the lattice mismatch at the interface was an important factor in determining the growth direction of the secondary nanorod arrays.