Perfoliate pondweed grows from a robust creeping perennial rhizome, intermittently producing round stems up to 3 m long.

[8] Since many pondweeds, including P. perfoliatus, vary naturally in response to growing conditions,[6] it is possible that these variants are ecotypes rather than genuine subspecies.

[citation needed] DNA analysis indicates that P. perfoliatus is one of the broad-leaved pondweed clade (section Potamogeton) and is probably most closely related to P.

[11] Potamogeton perfoliatus has a broad global distribution, occurring in all continents except South America and Antarctica.

It has been recorded from Asia (Afghanistan, India, Indonesia (Sumatra), Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan), Australia,[12] North America (Eastern and SE US),[13] Europe south to Spain, Central Italy and the Balkans and including Scandinavia, Britain, Ireland and Iceland,[8] North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt),[8] the Near and Middle East.

It is widespread in lakes and rivers in the British Isles and Ireland,[14] and is common in much of Eurasia and North America, but has a more scattered distribution towards the southern edge of its range.

[citation needed] P. perfoliatus grows in a wide range of freshwater habitats including lakes, rivers and streams, large ponds, canals and larger drains and ditches.

[19] Waterbirds, fish,[17][20] water beetles and caddis larvae[21] can all be important grazers of perfoliate pondweed, reducing its biomass or even eliminating it locally.

[28] Perfoliate pondweed is not widely cultivated, which is perhaps surprising as it is not ecologically demanding and is an attractive plant.

In common with other pondweeds of this group it roots poorly from stem cuttings and is best propagated by division of the rhizomes.

It is easy to grow in a garden pond or even in a barrel, but unlike some other submerged plants needs to be able to root in a suitable substrate such as sand or aquatic compost.

Keeping nutrient levels low helps to prevent smothering by algae and more invasive aquatic plants.