For a couple of years, someone has been eating the flowering stalk of one of our foxtail lilies. I thought these bulbs were resistant to critters because of their bitter taste, and I can only speculate that it’s an intrepid squirrel climbing the rose that overhangs the stalk, and nibbling the developing flower like corn-on-the-cob. I’d like to save it from being eaten every spring. Can the plant be moved, and when would be the best time to do it?
You are correct that Eremurus is generally considered unappetizing to deer, rabbits, and other creatures. If you have acrobatic squirrels, then placing the foxtail lily in a more open spot (with nothing overhanging it) that also has excellent drainage and ample sun might help. However, these bulbs are sensitive to transplanting and their shallow but widely spreading roots are fragile. It is best to wait until the leaves have died back and the plant is entering dormancy (late summer to early fall). Have a new planting hole ready to accommodate the roots, which are octopus- or starfish-shaped. According to Chicago Botanic Garden, the hole should be about 15 inches wide and six inches deep with a shallow mound in the middle over which you can drape the roots.