hmm - i like the pale washed out look - makes it look hot and dry - perhaps the tree could have been paler to match? crop the green bush on the right? it is an eyecatcher and drags the eye to the right off the edge - you dont want to draw the viewers eye oof screen, especially on DPC where the speed voter thinks "done, next photo". If you can draw the eye back to center, as the tree does (and its shadow too), the viewer will spend a few extra seconds to appreciate the good points,
what an interesting subject for an image. i bet it can look great at just any time of day. hope you're getting some good comments and suggestions, and this you're not getting overlooked in this monster challenge. good luck!
I used to work with an artist named Frank Foto who painted scenes like this all the time. He was a great guy, your photo remined me of him. It is a lovely shot that I would frame.
The title annoys me. It should be your best, that's the reason for the challenge. Why not title it something interesting like Desolate, Dry, Abandoned, In the Wild, Forsaken. Besides that, this image rocks. The composition, the colors, the placement.