<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-17</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000100893</issuerCik><issuerName>UNION PLANTERS CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>UPC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001035875</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>MOORE JACKSON W</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman and Chief Executive O</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-17</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-07-17</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>27000</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1194006</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Grant of restricted stock under the Executive Performance Restricted Stock Plan.  Restriction lapses in 1/7 annual increments for a 7 year period.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Includes 591,604 "profit shares" issuable upon exercise of the stock options shown on Table II, the receipt of which shares has been deferred pursuant to an irrevocable Stock Option Deferral  Agreement, but which shares are reported as beneficially owned by the reporting person for purposes of Section 16(a).</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>E. James House, Jr./Rebecca Baggett</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-18</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>
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X0101
4
2003-07-17
0
0000100893
UNION PLANTERS CORP
UPC
0001035875
MOORE JACKSON W
1
1
0
0
Chairman and Chief Executive O
Common Stock
2003-07-17
2003-07-17
4
A
0
27000
0
A
1194006
D
Grant of restricted stock under the Executive Performance Restricted Stock Plan.  Restriction lapses in 1/7 annual increments for a 7 year period.
Includes 591,604 "profit shares" issuable upon exercise of the stock options shown on Table II, the receipt of which shares has been deferred pursuant to an irrevocable Stock Option Deferral  Agreement, but which shares are reported as beneficially owned by the reporting person for purposes of Section 16(a).
E. James House, Jr./Rebecca Baggett
2003-07-18