The last pic of the Japanese Maple, Alisdair, is stunning. i love them too.
I can start a list of trees that I love, but I can't finish it. I really like trees. A lot. I must start with Redwoods as they're the tree I most often hike among. Then the Live Oak, for similar reasons, being as I live in the California Chaparral. All Oaks (climbing!!). Madrone. Date palms and other varieties. I love enormous palm trees. Plenty around SF. Willows and Magnolia.
Buckeyes for their awesomeness throughout all seasons. Autumn game with dog: Find a valley/ravine full of buckeye trees. Find a solid stick – oak is easily found near the buckeyes trees where I hike (East Bay Hills, private, unpopulated grazing land, not patrolled). Hit fallen buck-eyes out of the "park" (further into the trackless wilderness) for dog to chase. Chase dog, pick up Buck-eye, repeat. Always involves hiking up fairly steep ravines covered in sparkling green Autumn/Winter/Spring grass... heaven.
Not in my area: birch (Russian lit. and beauty), firs (Tove Jannson and beauty), BAOBABS (elephant/snake, etc. & beauty), monkey-puzzle, travellers' palm, banyans. The institutionally-coopted and clipped Plane Trees b/c of Proust and other Euro writers. Mimosa (found in BA, but not native). Gingkos: gorgeous and extremely functional in urban settings.
All I can think of right now. J'aime les arbles.
Oh, mangroves…they seem very climbing-friendly and very graphic-novel creepy.