Well, liliums are not poisonous. Both rabbits and deer will eat lilies the way you describe. If they were up five or six inches when eaten back as severe as you say, they most likely will stop growing this year--but it won't kill the bulb. Often times it will form offsets and a few new smaller plants will emerge. Some people(including me) put up a temporary rabbit fence around the pots until there is plenty of other things for them to eat; also the lilies get taller by that time and they won't bother by then.

Actually, lilies ARE poisonous to cats or dogs(1 of the two, do not remember which) according to some sites. I have experienced , that on rare ocassions, a bulb can produce second shoot later, if the first was broken off early(by me). It was an Asiatic lily though, do not know if it applies to Orientals.

Since this is an annual problem for me, I thought I would take some action before the critters found the lily sprouts. Sprayed with Ropel and the shoots were shredded the next day.
In my case, I KNOW it's squirrels. They destroy just about everything. I'm probably giving up on lilies. It's just too frustrating having this happen year after year. Of course they always go after my favorites.

Kevin

I planted a few Siberia bulbs last fall, but before I did I dunked them in a repellent called Bobex. The squirrels dug them up, but apparently they didn't like the taste so they literally cast them about the yard. I found one by stepping on it, and then went looking for the others. I found them all and replanted them, and they all came up this Spring.

Now I'm picking red beetles, but that's another story.

Steve