I doubt a Katsura tree will do well where a Madrona and Doug Fir once grew. The ground is probably too fast draining for a tree from Asia where it receives summer water in the form of monsoons.

I have a large grove of Katsuras that are doing fine with no supplemental water, but my soil is heavier where they're at and in partial shade from Western Red Cedars.
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2959685110036511179wmwvPV

Here is a link that might be useful: Cercidiphyllum japonicum. 'Magnificum'

I think you are right...... my soil is virtually pure sand... I irrigate it every other day in hot weather, but, of course, it drains straight through. Does get pretty wet in winter.
Can you suggest something else? Ferns and shrubs thrive there, despite the poor soil.

Magnificent Katsura tree is a separate species with a different ecology from Katsura tree, and not a cultivar 'Magnificum' of Katsura tree.

Here is a link that might be useful: 25 Trees that thrive in the maritime Northwest's Dry Summers

Bboy, is my form of Katsura the one that pendulum came from?
Mine has larger leaves than the japonicum found planted all over Seattle. The leaves are the size of the weeping form.
The larger leaves would indicate to me that it originated from a more moist site than the common form. In this area, it likes the same conditions as our native Red Alder.

Westgate, have you looked into Parrotia persica? Not a real fast tree, but not as slow as some books indicate. It's a tough tree with good Fall color. Once established it wouldn't need any extra water.

The parottia sounds excellent.... but I am bit nervous about our winters here. I lost several things (including a very large eucalyptus, 2 large ceonothus and several other established trees/shrubs) a couple of winters ago. They were in my sheltered garden and not exposed to wind to any extent. Perhaps the parottia would be borderline here. Any comments? Has anyone got one in this area (Sunshine Coast, N. of Vancouver, BC.)?

Have researched and think a Pyrus Chanticleer would do well.
Of course, not easily found, but have asked a couple of nurseries if they can track one down, for fall planting. Second choice would be a Robinia Frisia, Comments?

There was a plant being sold as weeping Magnificent Katsura Tree that it was decided was actually a weeping Katsura Tree. It was therefore named Cercidiphyllum japonicum 'Morioka Weeping', after having been traded in the West for a time as C. magnificum 'Pendulum'.

Yours look like typical non-weeping Magnificent Katsura Tree. It grows natively higher up than Katsura Tree, where it is probably cooler and damper.

Persian ironwood is quite hardy but many local specimens curl and discolor in summer here, perhaps finding conditions too dry - it is native to mountains that I have read are rainy.

Callery pears smell strongly when in flower and are dead common, one of those things you see lining streets and peppering parking mall parking lots.

'Frisia' is highly unnatural in appearance when in leaf, might therefore not go well in situation described. Otherwise it has all the good and bad points of a regular green-leaved black locust, which it may often be grafted onto - with green-leaved suckers being a result.

Most trees at the page I linked to, on the other hand could be suitable.

He listed black locust at above link. Be sure to read up on what others have to say about having that species in a garden setting before introducing it to your site.

A friend of mine buried a deep barrier in his back yard in order to exclude the suckering roots of a neighbor's black locust. Sprouts had begun appearing in piles of mulch he had located there. When he dug down he found masses of runners.

Sprouts line another neighbor's side of the fence on the opposite side of my friend's lot. This means that before he cut them off and installed the barrier the tree had run all the way across his lot, to sprout in the next lot over (these sprouts definitely look suckerous rather than like seedlings, as far as can be seen from behind the fence).

Thanks bboy for clearing things up for me.

I had a 'Frisia' once. After several years I cut it down because it always came down with some sort of leaf gall that made the whole tree look ugly.

Well.... that cheered me up no end! Seems neither of the trees I picked are "the right one" !!! Isn't a Golden Locust an Acacia? I had one (huge) in the Okanagan and it never showed a single sucker.... did have long, bean-like pods which were a drag to keep raking up.
The Chanticleer pear I saw at UBC was lovely.... if they are "dead common" I am surprised..... I don't think there is a single one here in Sechelt.
I would welcome other suggestions.... don't plan to plant it until Fall.

False acacia etc. are common names for Robinia pseudoacacia, note the species name which means the same thing. Acacia, as in the genus Acacia is another genus in the pea family. There are hundreds of species, but few plantings of these manage to produce lasting specimens in this area.

Callery pears are one of the most frequently planted trees in northern climates. They are many kinds on the market. They have the same assertively malodorous flowers and similar foliage to orchard pears, without the useful appealing fruit. In parts of eastern North America they have gone wild to produce thickets of nuisance seedlings.

It would be a shame to have come to a site like this, gotten advice from other gardeners and then end up planting something like a Callery pear.

Have you looked at my link with 25 suggestions? Many neat trees there, chosen by a local expert who has been observing trees in this area for some years - and written multiple unique books on trees and other plants.

"now i seem to have small locust trees sprouting up all over my lawn and the neighbors lawn"

Here is a link that might be useful: HELp, how to control locusts tree shoots?? - Trees Forum - GardenWeb

I would not consider the reputed root sprouting of the 'Frisia' to be a guaranteed thing :-) I am aware of a number of mature ones planted locally (including one in my old garden) that have never produced root shoots. They are pretty intense in color, but depending on placement and your personal aesthetic, that may be a bonus, not a distraction. I've also not encountered Parrotia to have many issues in this climate......certainly not one with hardiness nor summer dryness.

The list of suggested 'trees' (several are just large shrubs) includes many that are seldom seen in this area and not often carried in local nurseries. If they come so highly regarded or recommended it seems odd that they are seldom seen or offered. The oaks in particular are worth further consideration however most are not what are commonly considered to be 'fast growing'.

Aside from specific growing condition that must be addressed, selecting something as significant or as long-term a landscape feature as a tree should be something that is determined by personal choice, not by recommendations from a book or article or even by participants in a gardening forum. If you can, visit some local public gardens - perhaps the UBC garden - local parks and your favorite larger nurseries and see what's on offer and what you like. A large number of extremely attractive, mostly trouble-free and very ornamental trees grow well in our climate and once established, require minimal summer watering.

Yes, suckers from black locust are not guaranteed - not sure it was stated they would be anywhere here. However, if you plant one and it does sucker then it can be quite a headache.

Obviously distressed Parrotia persica are frequent in the local landscape at this time.

Thank you, gardengal. I appreciate your very sensible viewpoint! As an elderly, great- grandma gardener, I need trouble free trees! I have looked around for a while (have a number of excellent trees I planted here 5 yrs ago, that are all doing well) but I want "something different." Remembered the Pyrus I saw (maybe Blodel conservatory area?) and have now decided that, if I can get one, it will be a Pyrus.
Thanks so much for your valuable comments!

You're welcome!