Consider some of the wet tolerant native shrubs: Viburnum nudum ('Winterthur' is a popular cultivar), Itea virginica ('Henry's Garnet' is a popular cultivar), Clethra alnifolia ('Ruby Spice' is one cultivar), Lindera benzoin, Cornus sericea, Cephalanthus occidentalis. Evergreen considerations include Ilex glabra ('Shamrock' is one) and Magnolia virginiana (this is a tree, actually, the others are shrubs).

The trouble with bull tallow(buck tallow) is it is permanently moist and densely compacted superfine silt and partly decomposed plant/animal material so there is very little aerobic bacterial activity and things just don't grow well except in the upper topsoil or elevated.
Whatever you plant, plant it high and spread the roots out laterally digging the planting hole wider than deeper.

willows

If you're 'skeered' of willows and the invasiveness of their roots and the everfalling twigs/branches mess then get a curly willow.