A Norway spruce purchased as a sapling 60 years ago has been installed as New York City’s famous Rockefeller Centre Christmas tree.

The 77ft tree from the village of Florida, New York, was lifted into place on Saturday.

Rockefeller Centre Christmas tree
The 2019 77ft tree arrived on a flatbed truck (Diane Bondareff/AP/Tishman Speyer)

Carol Schultz bought the sapling in 1959 and planted it in her front garden after the Christmas season and watched it grow.

She and friend Richard O’Donnell went on to Rockefeller’s website in 2010 and entered the tree into the selection pool.

They learned earlier this year that it had made the cut.

Rockefeller Centre Christmas tree
Carol Schultz, centre, donated the tree (Diane Bondareff/AP/Tishman Speyer)

The tree was chopped down on Thursday and lifted by crane on to a flatbed truck for transportation to Manhattan.

A ceremony to switch on its lights will take place on December 4.