I really prefer most trees when they have their foliage: when they are fully dressed in green. There is one exception - the American Sycamore Tree. I have always loved the look of the sycamore when they are fully visible, without foliage.
The Sycamore grows to be very large, not just tall, but big! The following is from Wikipedia:
A sycamore can grow to massive proportions, typically reaching up to 30 to 40 m (98 to 131 ft) high and 1.5 to 2 m (4.9 to 6.6 ft) in diameter when grown in deep soils. The largest of the species have been measured to 51 m (167 ft), and nearly 4 m (13 ft) in diameter. Larger specimens were recorded in historical times. In 1744, a Shenandoah Valley settler named Joseph Hampton and two sons lived for most of the year in a hollow sycamore in what is now Clarke County, Virginia near the junction of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, George Washington recorded in his journal a sycamore measuring 13.67 m (44 ft 10 in) in circumference at 91 cm (3 ft) from the ground..
They also stand out visually as the bark flakes off and leaves patches of white, gray and brown. A very cool look! They are very common in Ohio.
By the way, I love the ladder that is leaning against the lower branch in the photo. It appears to be the place of a future swing. Picture this: a rope, some wood .. and a child. Perfection!
