The bark looks funny to me

Can you see the root flare? I can't in the pictures.

I agree with L Clark - that bark is very funky looking but not sure exactly what I am seeing. Insects? Fungus? Sap leakage? Sap leakage with fungus growing on it? Whatever it is, it doesn't look good. An awful lot of cracking going on as well.

welcome to the forums.. in every post.. tell us where you are.. big city name ...

can you add a pic of the canopy;. where it is not blacked out by the sunset behind??.. can we see some leaves .. front and back.. and as noted.. the trunk where it meets the ground ...

some of what your seeing is simply the canopy maturing .. every year.. with new growth.. it will look different ... but thats the canopy.. and there are many other issues to figure out..

big city name plz.. ken

Thanks for the help, I am near Charlotte NC. I will dig out some of the root flare this afternoon.

Yes, It looks to be planted too deeply.

In addition to the other comments, it almost looks like a rope support that was there previously (visible in second & last pic) practically girdled it.

Could have been a rope for sure, previous owner was a pilot and was rarely home. I will get to digging and see how it goes.

Started chunking away at it. I am guessing all the small roots need to go. There was a million ants (I guess) under there as well.

That tree needs to be replaced.

More than one reason for the decline and other problems then took advantage and moved in.

The dead bark alone will take years to repair itself, that's if it does that.