After adjusting the INPUT level on a copy of the image to remove the baseline on the right to get rid of the darkness, I was able to see that the plant in question has silvery, woolly leaves. It doesn't have the right shape, form or color for S. dorisiana. Plectranthus species mimic Salvias in form, but they do not have scarlet flowers.

Could you have gotten it from Cabrillo College or as seed from Ginny Hunt? It might be one of the newer ones I haven't seen myself.

Found the plant tag, which immediately broke in half (I love when that happens!). But the salvia in the first picture is S. Pulchella Kunth.
The second picture is S. Rubesens.

I think it's been decided that pulchella is actually s. univerticillata, no? I couldn't tell from the pic, but wondered from your description if you were talking about univerticillata. It's very vigorous and trouble free at my place. Once it starts blooming, it does so for a very long time and mine is right now at about 10 ft on the longest branches.