What Do Peonies Look Like When They First Come Up . Here are a few tips to help you get the best results. Hold the peony while you backfill, being careful not to knock off any “eyes”. Paeonia mlokosewitschii emerging with new young red shoots in spring from garden-photos-com.photoshelter.com But in warmer zones they can be 6 feet tall. Such peonies are so durable that they’ll survive decades of. The first step of spring maintenance requirements for peony plants is clearing away any mulch or debris around peony shoots to allow them to soak up much needed sunlight.