New to posting so pls help if I make etiquette errors.

I have a 4-5yr old Barbados Cherry, in ground about 1.5yrs.

Over the years I've pinched and pruned to keep it from growing in all directions, and this past winter lopped off quite a few fast-growing young branches.

Well after its last "trim" in January, it stopped growing and had a near-perfect shape - I wondered why it quit growing, then noticed eensy little growths all over it. They were so tiny they looked like a mossy fungus or something similar. I waited to see what would happen, and over the past six months I realized they were actually clusters of very slow growing leaf buds.

It's now leafing out beautifully, but... where previously it'd form 2 leaves alternately at an intersection, it's now producing 20-40+ very healthy looking leaves (not exaggerating - see pics!).

Well, of course no fruit has set, but I'm just wondering if this is a normal occurrence with Barbados Cherry? If it got shocked or stressed from pruning? Has anyone experienced this really odd growth spurt with their BC, or anything similar?

Thanks in advance for any help/info anyone can give me.