The effectiveness of photocatalysts can be impacted by the high compounding efficiency of photogenerated carriers, which depends on the morphology of the photocatalyst. Here, a hydrangea-like N-ZnO/BiOI composite has been prepared for achieving efficient photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) under visible light. The N-ZnO/BiOI exhibits a high photocatalytic performance, degrading nearly 90% of TCH within 160 min. After 3 cycling runs, the photodegradation efficiency remained above 80%, demonstrating its good recyclability and stability. The major active species at work are superoxide radicals (·O 2 - ) and photo-induced holes (h + ) in the photocatalytic degradation of TCH. This work provides not only a new idea for the design of photodegradable materials but also a new method for the effective degradation of organic pollutants.