Metro

Rockefeller Center Christmas tree chosen, chopped down

A 76-foot Norway spruce that was the pride of Maria Corti’s back yard in Easton, Conn. was cut down yesterday and sent to Manhattan to become the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree.

Corti, a fifth-grade teacher, called Rockefeller Plaza more than nine months ago to offer her 10-ton tree.

“When you see it unfurled, it is lush and green and symmetrical and healthy and strong,” she said yesterday.

“It’s beautiful.”

Rockefeller Plaza gets dozens of offers each year, and Corti thought hers “went into the circular file” and was forgotten.

But one of its scouts happened to spot the tree from a helicopter, and the rest was history.

When Corti learned her tree was chosen, she said, “It was like a surreal, spectacular, extraordinary event.”

Corti said the tree, estimated to be about 70 years old, has a lot to teach her students, as well as others.

“One of the greatest lessons you can learn in life is to share,” she said.

“I’d like to share this tree with the people of the world.”

Corti described Rockefeller Plaza as a “magical” place where her grandmother took her as a child to see the tree.

Now she said, she’ll return to see her spruce.

“When people from all walks of life and all corners of the world come to Rockefeller Center, it doesn’t matter what kind of problems you’re having,” she said.

“It’s nice to escape and to be caught up in that moment and the goodwill.”

The tree arrives in Midtown today and will be lit at a Dec. 2 ceremony.

Last year’s tree was a 72-foot Norway spruce from Hamilton, NJ.

ikimulisa.livingston@nypost.com