American lotus is an aquatic plant that can cover large areas. Flowers are held singly above water on long stalks, with 20 or more sepals and petals, light yellow, to 8 inches across, with a central elevated receptacle resembling a showerhead. Blooms June–September. Leaves are blue-green, shed water, normally held above water level on long stems (young leaves float), circular, extremely variable in size, to 2 feet wide, with the stem attached in the center. The receptacle, to 5 inches wide, starts out soft and yellow and becomes brown and woody as the seeds ripen. Seeds are acornlike, anchored in deep pits.