Protea compacta different growth outcomes

In the foreground, several Protea compacta stem-tips end in single, pink flowerheads. To the right of them, one stem-tip has burst a surprise of sudden, new leaf growth. They are broad and short, coloured greener and greyer in the youthful, hairy phase of this plant’s foliage. In the background, many erect stems have given no new signs of their intentions for the current season, carrying on growing as before, same old leaves without variation or still biding their time. Whatever they’re busy doing, the general height growth is holding steady.