Yes: Roots aren't meant to be damaged. They aren't even very cold-tolerant, relative to the top of the same plant, with root damage to potted stock sitting above the ground occurring at about 20 degrees F. higher temperature than the tops. Balling in burlap and bare-rooting kill most of the small roots, that is why top growth is stunted the first year after these are transplanted. The roots run the show, if something happens to the roots the top has to wait until these recover before it can carry on as before. With container stock you are supposed to be able to slip the plant out of the pot and into the ground with little root damage. However, in practice growers generate much rootbound stock, making it necessary for the serious gardener to wash these of soil and inspect the roots for defects, correct them at planting time. Most stock I look at here has signs of having been left in a small container too long. This includes container-grown broad-leaved evergreens. I seldom buy camellias form local garden centers as the two giant California growers that supply nearly all of the material offered here are very consistent about sending up terribly rootbound camellias. I have even seen 5 gallon stock with a small square of roots on top of the potting medium, in full view and indicating the plant sat in a square pot for a (too) long time when small. Rhododendrons, azaleas and other heath family shrubs are a problem because their fine, dense sod-like roots do not lend themselves to bare-rooting very much.

I have several Encores here at the top of zone 7a and they do fine. I have 'Autumn Royalty' and 'Autumn Sangria'. They seem to need more sun than most azaleas to boom well, especially for good rebloom in Fall. However, more sun also bleaches flowers faster. This spring they were just covered in blooms. Maples have really greedy roots once they get big and you may have a problem getting anything to do well under it. Been there, had that! LOL! We removed our maples! Now a Japanese maple probably is not so greedy. But, red, silver, and other large growers can be thugs. It is actually quite hard to find a shade-tolerant evergreen. Depends on how much shade and shelter you have. For shade tolerant broadleafed evergreens, you might look up Pieris, Mountain laurel, Kurume azaleas, rhododendron (like Nova Zembla), Osmanthus, Mahonia, Leucothoe, for starters. There might even be some super hardy camellias.

As Morz said, you plant is probably a house plant. However, there are zone 6 azaleas. If you live in the mountains I would guess you soil may be suitable. If you live in the more arid prairie region then it may be more alkaline. Evergreen azaleas are sometimes difficult to get started in zone 6. Deciduous azaleas come in very hardy varieties and have very bright colors. You might check them out this spring. Also, there are many hardy rhododendrons for your area. You will be facing several problems. 1) If you have alkaline Soil. Raised beds are the best solution for this. Rhododendrons and azaleas have shallow roots, so a raised bed that is 12 to 15 inches high is normal. Use a good acidic soil that is well drained. 2) If you have alkaline Water. The raised bed won't help if you use alkaline water. Use only rain water including water collected in cisterns or neutralized water. 3) Winter wind and sun. These are serious problems. A wind break and some winter shade are necessary. Summer sun is not trivial either. Some summer shade is necessary. 4) Hardy plants. All azaleas and rhododendrons have a characteristic hardiness. Winter hardiness and summer hardiness are both important. They usually go together. Here are some interesting references: Gardening challenges for newcomers to Colorado (Colorado Extension) Iron chlorosis (Colorado Extension) Growing Azaleas and Rhododendrons (Missouri Extension) Azalea and Rhododendron Care and Culture (Oregon State University) Here is a link that might be useful: How to grow rhododendrons and azaleas.

Yes, I did. In fact, that's how I found out about that lavender flower azalea. There's a very long list of retails selling Encore azaleas but I'm not sure if most of them will have that lavender color ones because it's the newest one. There's a couple dozen different encore azalea and I don't recall any stores having that many varieties thus the reason for this thread. I just wondered if there's any nurseries getting the latest varieties or selling wide varieties of encore. I don't think Home depot sells more than a few varieties if memory serves me.