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# matplotlib.axes.Axes.plot_date

`Axes.``plot_date`(x, y, fmt=’o’, tz=None, xdate=True, ydate=False, *, data=None, **kwargs)

  A plot with data that contains dates.

  Similar to the `plot()` command, except the x or y (or both) data is considered to be dates, and the axis is labeled accordingly.

  x and/or y can be a sequence of dates represented as float days since 0001-01-01 UTC.

  Note if you are using custom date tickers and formatters, it may be necessary to set the formatters/locators after the call to `plot_date()` since `plot_date()` will set the default tick locator to `matplotlib.dates.AutoDateLocator` (if the tick locator is not already set to a `matplotlib.dates.DateLocator` instance) and the default tick formatter to `matplotlib.dates.AutoDateFormatter` (if the tick formatter is not already set to a `matplotlib.dates.DateFormatter` instance).

  Parameters: | fmt : string The plot format string. tz : [ None | timezone string | `tzinfo` instance] The time zone to use in labeling dates. If None, defaults to rc value. xdate : boolean If True, the x-axis will be labeled with dates. ydate : boolean If True, the y-axis will be labeled with dates.
  Returns: | lines
  Other Parameters:
  > | **kwargs : Keyword arguments control the `Line2D` properties:
  > Property | Description
  > --- | ---
  > `agg_filter` | unknown
  > `alpha` | float (0.0 transparent through 1.0 opaque)
  > `animated` | [True | False]
  > `antialiased` or aa | [True | False]
  > `axes` | an `Axes` instance
  > `clip_box` | a `matplotlib.transforms.Bbox` instance
  > `clip_on` | [True | False]
  > `clip_path` | [ (`Path`, `Transform`) | `Patch` | None ]
  > `color` or c | any matplotlib color
  > `contains` | a callable function
  > `dash_capstyle` | [‘butt’ | ‘round’ | ‘projecting’]
  > `dash_joinstyle` | [‘miter’ | ‘round’ | ‘bevel’]
  > `dashes` | sequence of on/off ink in points
  > `drawstyle` | [‘default’ | ‘steps’ | ‘steps-pre’ | ‘steps-mid’ | ‘steps-post’]
  > `figure` | a `matplotlib.figure.Figure` instance
  > `fillstyle` | [‘full’ | ‘left’ | ‘right’ | ‘bottom’ | ‘top’ | ‘none’]
  > `gid` | an id string
  > `label` | string or anything printable with ‘%s’ conversion.
  > `linestyle` or ls | [‘solid’ | ‘dashed’, ‘dashdot’, ‘dotted’ | (offset, on-off-dash-seq) | `'-'` | `'--'` | `'-.'` | `':'` | `'None'` | `' '` | `''`]
  > `linewidth` or lw | float value in points
  > `marker` | `A valid marker style`
  > `markeredgecolor` or mec | any matplotlib color
  > `markeredgewidth` or mew | float value in points
  > `markerfacecolor` or mfc | any matplotlib color
  > `markerfacecoloralt` or mfcalt | any matplotlib color
  > `markersize` or ms | float
  > `markevery` | [None | int | length-2 tuple of int | slice | list/array of int | float | length-2 tuple of float]
  > `path_effects` | unknown
  > `picker` | float distance in points or callable pick function `fn(artist, event)`
  > `pickradius` | float distance in points
  > `rasterized` | [True | False | None]
  > `sketch_params` | unknown
  > `snap` | unknown
  > `solid_capstyle` | [‘butt’ | ‘round’ | ‘projecting’]
  > `solid_joinstyle` | [‘miter’ | ‘round’ | ‘bevel’]
  > `transform` | a `matplotlib.transforms.Transform` instance
  > `url` | a url string
  > `visible` | [True | False]
  > `xdata` | 1D array
  > `ydata` | 1D array
  > `zorder` | any number
  .. note:: In addition to the above described arguments, this function can take a data keyword argument. If such a data argument is given, the following arguments are replaced by data[<arg>]: All arguments with the following names: ‘x’, ‘y’.

  See also

  `matplotlib.dates`
    helper functions on dates
  `matplotlib.dates.date2num`
    how to convert dates to num
  `matplotlib.dates.num2date`
    how to convert num to dates
  `matplotlib.dates.drange`
    how floating point dates