Vertically oriented InN nanorods were grown on selective areas of unintentionally patterned c-oriented sapphire substrates exhibiting sharp needles that preferentially accommodate In-metal liquid droplets, using Migration Enhanced Afterglow (MEAglow) growth technique. We point out that the formation of AIN needles on selected areas can be reproduced intentionally by over-nitridation of unmasked areas of sapphire substrates. The liquid indium droplets serve as a self-catalyst and the nanorods grow from the supersaturated indium melt in the droplet in a vertical direction. X-ray diffraction measurements indicate the presence of hexagonal InN only, with preferred orientation along (0001) crystal axis, and very good crystalline quality. The room temperature Raman spectrum shows the presence of the A(1) (TO), E-2(high) and A(1) (LO) phonon modes of the hexagonal InN. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.