In my own backyard, I have a coral bark maple that stands out against a snowfall. In the area, I especially like to see craggy old sycamores silhouetted against a gray winter sky.

I like a good bark effect - Chinese paper birch, paperbark maple, coral bark maple, Stewartia pseudocamellia. The stewartia is probably my favorite, as it is great looking in ALL seasons and has a very interesting branch structure in addition to the bark. And is reasonably sized as well.

"Even this year with the long fall we should have essentially leafless deciduous trees from December through March or so."

I don't think I would be able to survive with only deciduous trees trees over the Winter (which is why I welcome broadleaved evergreens), but restricting the post to deciduous trees, I would say...,

most any weeping tree (willow, birch, cherry, etc.)

Living in the eastern deciduous forest, my favorite trees are evergreens, both needle and broadleaved. After that, trees with distinctive bark and growth habits, and then all the rest. What I notice at this time of year when our local star is at a low angle relative to our fair planet, is that the light shines 'sideways', rather than from above. This makes trees, and everything else for that matter, stand out in bas relief.

Added to my favorites for deciduous trees, I would include Bald Cypress and Dawn Redwoods.

What I HATE is seeing DEAD leaves remain on deciduous trees. This year is ridiculous, my Japanese Maple still is holding on to them even after the snow event of last week and now, high wind.

LOL!! Living in the land of big evergreen conifers everywhere, there is almost too much "green" in winter and so I look for things that will relieve the monochromatic coloring. Conifers or BLE's with colored foliage are fine, but I still need bark or berries for contrast!

Those with bark interest or large conspicuous buds certainly have their appeal. But there is also the perhaps most important aspect that the architecture (line patterns) of deciduous trees become visible when their leaves are off. So any deciduous tree that makes an appealing design with its winter branches may be a source of continued interest and enjoyment. All the more so if it has a suitable backdrop, that makes it show up well.

I like trees with compound leaves most, because they have thicker branches and twigs. Trees like walnut, ash, rowan and so on. Trees with smaller leaves, like birch, have twigs everywhere and looks "messy". Also I don't like alder very much because of their seed cones that are hanging on during winter.

I generally don't like conifers very much but during the winter I start to appreciate pine more and more... until spring comes with new leaves, then pines look just gray and dull again.

Mature Kentucky Coffee Tree is king. Same with Burr Oak

One thats not mentioned that often for bark is Syringa pekinensis

No snow yet when this pic was taken but they sure glisten in the snow!

If I couldn't see the typical double lilac buds I would have guessed prunus maackii

Another good one but doesn't seem to flake as much which I think gives it more dimension.

I see the bark aspect of the lilac species mentioned repeatedly.

We just don't have that many evergreen broadleafs here. Southern magnolias technically survive and do get my attention. Hollies of course can be glorious in January.

Some of my Favorite tree's during the winter:

Acer Palmatum 'Ryusen'

Acer Palmatum 'Sango Kaku'

Acer conspicuum Esk Flamingo (Much more intense red than my Coral Bark Maple)

Yellowish Picea abies 'Aurea magnifica'

Harry Lauders Walking Stick

Acer palmatum 'Bihou'. Taken Christmas Day 2016 (with a little Pinus contorta var. latifolia 'Chief Joseph' to the right.

Jurasico, I’ve seen lots of trees holding dead leaves this year. I think it was because they basically froze in place in early November.

Japanese Maples and Crape Myrtle are the worst offenders.

Same here with those two, and they are both Asiatic in origin curiously. Never seen this before. Oh, and the forsythia is still blooming.

With few exceptions, all the trees and shrubs in my yard are broad-leaved evergreens...mostly magnolia, holly, aucuba, camellia, cherry laurel, smaller palms, evergreen oaks, etc. I hate to see brown leaves and sticks in winter.

But of the few deciduous trees I do grow, I like the Biloxi crape myrtle for winter interest. Great reddish mottled bark.

Quercus macrocarpa (Bur Oak),

Very rugged bark giving it a 'Halloween tree' appearance when the leaves drop.

They’re not dead, only dormant (but you know that).

I have a lot of broadleaved evergreens too (nine grandifloras, Laurel, Rhododendrons, Holly, bamboo, Osmanthus, windmill palm, viburnum, Box, Buddleia (semi-so), Photinia, and Hellebores, but it would be kinda dull we saw NO seasonal variation. Love my Japanese Maple ‘Bloodgood’, Crapes, Oak, Metasequoia and Bald Cyp. Oh, almost forgot the ginkgo!

p.s., I love Aucuba too but they are deer food around here!

I like the trees that show off strongly horizontal branch structure, so Nyssa sylvatica, Cornus Florida, and the funky branches of Gymnocladus dioicus (like whaas).

I actually like most bare trees.

I agree w/whaas, coffee trees are quite distinctive in the winter. Of course the huge spreading oaks show off their branching. There are many others. Don't forget the evergreens -- they stand out better in the winters.

Different kind of winter interest: our 'Fuerte' Avocado and 'Cara Cara' naval orange fruit ripens at this time of year. Delicious.

Holly trees (both American and variegated English) for their green foliage, red berries, and (in the case of variegated English varieties) silver edged leaves. Eastern White Pine, Norway Spruce, Winter King Hawthorn, and white birch.

Not really a favourite as such, but a pretty impressive Linden spotted yesterday.

And a minor curiosity - Davidia involucrata fruit against a grey Winter sky.

Mostly gone now, but when I lived in New England there were still some elms. They were gorgeous in winter.

Sassafras has an interesting winter look -- tiered in horizontal layers of fine twigs.

My Texas Live Oak Trees keep their leaves all year in SW Missouri

For my cold zone:

Cornus alternifolia has lovely branch structure.

Magnolia Leonard Messel has fuzzy buds and pale bark which with a dark background such as conifers stand out well. During times of heavy frost the buds catch the light and almost glow.

Crabapples that hold their fruit into winter are visited by flocks of birds that have great entertainment value.

The young beeches hold their leaves almost all winter, and so add movement, sound, and color other than black, white, gray, and deep green to the winter landscape. The light gray bark and long chestnut buds add to the appeal.

Acer pensylvanicum with its green striped bark and reddish-gold twigs is another star.

And of course the varying colors of the evergreens: spruces (Norway and Colorado blue cultivars), Thuja ('Sunkist' and 'Techny') along with my native hemlocks and white pines.

'...flocks of birds that have great entertainment value.'

A tiny flock of 2 tiny chickadees enliven the white desert like nothing else can.

I just like the stark, graphic quality that winter lends them.