They got mixed up at the nursery, and you were given the wrong colored plants? What a slap in the face to pay for a hot red and receive a pink instead. I bought an orange profusion Phlox paniculata that turned out to be the usual purple.

I am assuming since you said "previously" with respect to the coloring of this plant, this is an existing specimen in your garden? If so, there is a possibility it has reverted back to the species....pink or magenta is one of the species colors.

I've grown this plant for a long time and it has experienced some pretty cold weather and never reverted but it could be possible. The coloring of Hot Lips is pretty variable anyway. IME, it often blooms a solid red early in the season, then the white and red bicolor it is known for and finally finishing up the bloom season in late fall with pure white flowers. But it has never bloomed pink :-)

Thanks for the inf When I planted this last year in June the blooms were red and white then turned red towards the end of summer but now they’ve turned pink when they were red earlier this year.

I've grown a lot of Salvias over the years and never had a plant do this. It will be interesting to know if it reverts back again once Summer arrives.