diff --git a/doc/lua_api.md b/doc/lua_api.md
index 449309493..c4c74d884 100644
--- a/doc/lua_api.md
+++ b/doc/lua_api.md
@@ -6588,6 +6588,9 @@ Environment access
       on-the-fly
 * `core.spawn_tree (pos, {treedef})`
     * spawns L-system tree at given `pos` with definition in `treedef` table
+* `core.spawn_tree_on_vmanip(vmanip, pos, treedef)`
+    * analogous to `core.spawn_tree`, but spawns a L-system tree onto the specified
+      VoxelManip object `vmanip` instead of the map.
 * `core.transforming_liquid_add(pos)`
     * add node to liquid flow update queue
 * `core.get_node_max_level(pos)`
diff --git a/games/devtest/mods/testitems/init.lua b/games/devtest/mods/testitems/init.lua
index 12da2ad1c..71a85ef6d 100644
--- a/games/devtest/mods/testitems/init.lua
+++ b/games/devtest/mods/testitems/init.lua
@@ -105,3 +105,68 @@ core.register_craftitem("testitems:telescope_stick", {
 		return itemstack
 	end,
 })
+
+
+-- Tree spawners
+
+local tree_def={
+    axiom="Af",
+    rules_a="TT[&GB][&+GB][&++GB][&+++GB]A",
+    rules_b="[+GB]fB",
+    trunk="basenodes:tree",
+    leaves="basenodes:leaves",
+    angle=90,
+    iterations=4,
+    trunk_type="single",
+    thin_branches=true,
+}
+
+core.register_craftitem("testitems:tree_spawner", {
+	description = S("Tree Spawner"),
+	inventory_image = "testitems_tree_spawner.png",
+	on_place = function(itemstack, placer, pointed_thing)
+		if (not pointed_thing or pointed_thing.type ~= "node") then
+			return
+		end
+		core.spawn_tree(pointed_thing.above, tree_def)
+	end,
+})
+
+local vmanip_for_trees = {} -- per player
+core.register_craftitem("testitems:tree_spawner_vmanip", {
+	description = S("Tree Spawner using VoxelManip"),
+	inventory_image = "testitems_tree_spawner_vmanip.png",
+	on_place = function(itemstack, placer, pointed_thing)
+		if (not pointed_thing or pointed_thing.type ~= "node" or
+				not core.is_player(placer)) then
+			return
+		end
+		local name = placer:get_player_name()
+		local vm = vmanip_for_trees[name]
+		if not vm then
+			vm = VoxelManip(vector.add(pointed_thing.above, 20),
+				vector.subtract(pointed_thing.above, 20))
+			vmanip_for_trees[name] = vm
+			core.chat_send_player(name,
+				"Tree in new VoxelManip spawned, left click to apply to map, "..
+				"or right click to add more trees.")
+		end
+		core.spawn_tree_on_vmanip(vm, pointed_thing.above, tree_def)
+	end,
+	on_use = function(itemstack, user, pointed_thing)
+		if not core.is_player(user) then
+			return
+		end
+		local name = user:get_player_name()
+		local vm = vmanip_for_trees[name]
+		if vm then
+			vm:write_to_map()
+			vmanip_for_trees[name] = nil
+			core.chat_send_player(name, "VoxelManip written to map.")
+		end
+	end,
+})
+
+core.register_on_leaveplayer(function(player, timed_out)
+	vmanip_for_trees[player:get_player_name()] = nil
+end)
diff --git a/games/devtest/mods/testitems/textures/testitems_tree_spawner.png b/games/devtest/mods/testitems/textures/testitems_tree_spawner.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aa7430677
Binary files /dev/null and b/games/devtest/mods/testitems/textures/testitems_tree_spawner.png differ
diff --git a/games/devtest/mods/testitems/textures/testitems_tree_spawner_vmanip.png b/games/devtest/mods/testitems/textures/testitems_tree_spawner_vmanip.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2d8e0311f
Binary files /dev/null and b/games/devtest/mods/testitems/textures/testitems_tree_spawner_vmanip.png differ
diff --git a/src/mapgen/treegen.cpp b/src/mapgen/treegen.cpp
index e03f41482..688833fa2 100644
--- a/src/mapgen/treegen.cpp
+++ b/src/mapgen/treegen.cpp
@@ -875,4 +875,15 @@ void make_pine_tree(MMVManip &vmanip, v3s16 p0, const NodeDefManager *ndef,
 	}
 }
 
+std::string error_to_string(error e)
+{
+	switch (e) {
+		case SUCCESS:
+			return "success";
+		case UNBALANCED_BRACKETS:
+			return "closing ']' has no matching opening bracket";
+	}
+	return "unknown error";
+}
+
 }; // namespace treegen
diff --git a/src/mapgen/treegen.h b/src/mapgen/treegen.h
index 159063eb3..dba7ea047 100644
--- a/src/mapgen/treegen.h
+++ b/src/mapgen/treegen.h
@@ -68,4 +68,7 @@ namespace treegen {
 	treegen::error make_ltree(MMVManip &vmanip, v3s16 p0, const TreeDef &def);
 	// Helper to spawn it directly on map
 	treegen::error spawn_ltree(ServerMap *map, v3s16 p0, const TreeDef &def);
+
+	// Helper to get a string from the error message
+	std::string error_to_string(error e);
 }; // namespace treegen
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_env.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_env.cpp
index 666dee712..5ebb2c3e4 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_env.cpp
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_env.cpp
@@ -1307,11 +1307,7 @@ int ModApiEnv::l_spawn_tree(lua_State *L)
 	ServerMap *map = &env->getServerMap();
 	treegen::error e;
 	if ((e = treegen::spawn_ltree (map, p0, tree_def)) != treegen::SUCCESS) {
-		if (e == treegen::UNBALANCED_BRACKETS) {
-			luaL_error(L, "spawn_tree(): closing ']' has no matching opening bracket");
-		} else {
-			luaL_error(L, "spawn_tree(): unknown error");
-		}
+		throw LuaError("spawn_tree(): " + treegen::error_to_string(e));
 	}
 
 	lua_pushboolean(L, true);
@@ -1614,11 +1610,7 @@ int ModApiEnvVM::l_spawn_tree(lua_State *L)
 
 	treegen::error e;
 	if ((e = treegen::make_ltree(*vm, p0, tree_def)) != treegen::SUCCESS) {
-		if (e == treegen::UNBALANCED_BRACKETS) {
-			throw LuaError("spawn_tree(): closing ']' has no matching opening bracket");
-		} else {
-			throw LuaError("spawn_tree(): unknown error");
-		}
+		throw LuaError("spawn_tree(): " + treegen::error_to_string(e));
 	}
 
 	lua_pushboolean(L, true);
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_mapgen.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_mapgen.cpp
index 89323b2f6..d102b357f 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_mapgen.cpp
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_mapgen.cpp
@@ -1773,6 +1773,27 @@ int ModApiMapgen::l_place_schematic_on_vmanip(lua_State *L)
 	return 1;
 }
 
+// spawn_tree_on_vmanip(vmanip, pos, treedef)
+int ModApiMapgen::l_spawn_tree_on_vmanip(lua_State *L)
+{
+	NO_MAP_LOCK_REQUIRED;
+
+	MMVManip *vm = checkObject<LuaVoxelManip>(L, 1)->vm;
+	v3s16 p0 = read_v3s16(L, 2);
+	treegen::TreeDef tree_def;
+	const NodeDefManager *ndef = getGameDef(L)->ndef();
+	if (!read_tree_def(L, 3, ndef, tree_def))
+		return 0;
+
+	treegen::error e = treegen::make_ltree(*vm, p0, tree_def);
+	if (e != treegen::SUCCESS) {
+		throw LuaError("spawn_tree_on_vmanip(): " + treegen::error_to_string(e));
+	}
+
+	lua_pushboolean(L, true);
+	return 1;
+}
+
 
 // serialize_schematic(schematic, format, options={...})
 int ModApiMapgen::l_serialize_schematic(lua_State *L)
@@ -2023,6 +2044,7 @@ void ModApiMapgen::Initialize(lua_State *L, int top)
 	API_FCT(create_schematic);
 	API_FCT(place_schematic);
 	API_FCT(place_schematic_on_vmanip);
+	API_FCT(spawn_tree_on_vmanip);
 	API_FCT(serialize_schematic);
 	API_FCT(read_schematic);
 }
@@ -2049,6 +2071,7 @@ void ModApiMapgen::InitializeEmerge(lua_State *L, int top)
 	API_FCT(generate_ores);
 	API_FCT(generate_decorations);
 	API_FCT(place_schematic_on_vmanip);
+	API_FCT(spawn_tree_on_vmanip);
 	API_FCT(serialize_schematic);
 	API_FCT(read_schematic);
 }
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_mapgen.h b/src/script/lua_api/l_mapgen.h
index d72cbcbad..860daa7e8 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_mapgen.h
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_mapgen.h
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ private:
 	//     replacements, force_placement, flagstring)
 	static int l_place_schematic_on_vmanip(lua_State *L);
 
+	// spawn_tree_on_vmanip(vmanip, pos, treedef)
+	static int l_spawn_tree_on_vmanip(lua_State *L);
+
 	// serialize_schematic(schematic, format, options={...})
 	static int l_serialize_schematic(lua_State *L);