American lotus (Nelumbo lutea) is an aquatic emergent plant, meaning it grows in flooded areas like ponds or swamps. Lutea is greek meaning yellow, which will help you distinguish it from Eurasian lotus which is pink (there are only 2 species of lotus). The lotus reproduces both through seeds and rhizomes, sometimes creating dense colonies. It is important for pollinators as well as a host plant to two species of caterpillars.
Several parts of the lotus are edible. The younger, unopened leaves are edible, so are younger stems, or older ones that are typically peeled. Lotus plants produce a lot of seeds that are edible both raw and cooked (or even dried and ground into a flour). The roots are also a tasty sweet food and can likewise be eaten raw or cooked.
The American lotus is suffering from habitat loss and is an endangered species in some states. Thus, if you want to eat this one, plant it yourself and eat that, don’t forage wild ones.
Native Range Map:
USDA Plant Profiles
Photo Source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8400572