Jungle Val gets pretty tall, tall enough to lay across the top of your tank...which is quite an attractive look, IMHO, but opinions vary. I would suggest standard Corkscrew Val, or one of the Sagittaria varieties such as subulata. Either of those grows like wildfire without needing special care, and reproduce by means of runners like a strawberry plant. They grow well for me, despite the fact that I have no green thumb whatsoever. And they look terrific!
I'd also suggest attaching some Anubias to your driftwood as well. A different look, still tough and resilient, pretty slow growing compared to the Val or Sag.
Finally, some kind of floating plant would probably make your polys comfortable, providing shade and cover. Hornwort or guppy grass (Najas) are hardy, tough and fast-growing. And, of course, duckweed is a given; grows like mad, and since it floats on top of the surface instead of beneath it, duckweed can apparently utilize atmospheric CO2 which helps it grow faster, according to plant experts. You'll be removing handfuls of it regularly, which means you will be removing handfuls of nitrates and other nutrients and improving your water.
Any or all of these are cheap, easy to grow and attractive. If I can grow them,
anyone can grow them...even long-hair California surfer dudes!
Edited to add: You'll have better success if you buy a fair number of plants right from the start. If you just buy one or two at the beginning, they will still require just as much light...but those few won't utilize much in the way of nutrients, and so you will likely have an algae explosion. Buy more plants right from the get-go, and they will better be able to outcompete algae for the available nutrients. Good luck!
