I much prefer trees myself.

12 foot is probably about as tall a tree I have grown since allowing them to get taller would make them hard to manage.
Don't forget, very important....full sun, full sun....full sun. Or as close to that as possible.
And I couldn't resist....'swamp water' will generally be starved of oxygen. I'd imagine that if one had a bottle 3/4 full of swamp water and then shook it violently, that water would absorb much oxygen and the plants roots would be happier. If the water had some molasses in it too...the mollasses would change the viscosity of that water making it more syrupy allowing for much more oxygen to get trapped in the water.
Good write up though.....free the trees.