matplotlib.axes.Axes.plot_date

Axes.plot_date(x, y, fmt='o', tz=None, xdate=True, ydate=False, *, data=None, **kwargs) [source]

Plot data that contains dates.

Similar to plot, this plots y vs. x as lines or markers. However, the axis labels are formatted as dates depending on xdate and ydate.

Parameters:

x, y : array-like: The coordinates of the data points. If xdate or ydate is True, the respective values x or y are interpreted as Matplotlib dates.
fmt : str, optional: The plot format string. For details, see the corresponding parameter in plot.
tz : [ None | timezone string | tzinfo instance]: The time zone to use in labeling dates. If None, defaults to rcParam timezone.
xdate : bool, optional, default: True: If True, the x-axis will be interpreted as Matplotlib dates.
ydate : bool, optional, default: False: If True, the y-axis will be interpreted as Matplotlib dates.

Returns:

lines: A list of Line2D objects representing the plotted data.

Other Parameters:

**kwargs

Keyword arguments control the Line2D properties:

Property	Description
`agg_filter`	a filter function, which takes a (m, n, 3) float array and a dpi value, and returns a (m, n, 3) array
`alpha`	float (0.0 transparent through 1.0 opaque)
`animated`	bool
`antialiased` or aa	bool
`clip_box`	a `Bbox` instance
`clip_on`	bool
`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 `Figure` instance
`fillstyle`	['full' \| 'left' \| 'right' \| 'bottom' \| 'top' \| 'none']
`gid`	an id string
`label`	object
`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`	`AbstractPathEffect`
`picker`	float distance in points or callable pick function `fn(artist, event)`
`pickradius`	float distance in points
`rasterized`	bool or None
`sketch_params`	(scale: float, length: float, randomness: float)
`snap`	bool or None
`solid_capstyle`	['butt' \| 'round' \| 'projecting']
`solid_joinstyle`	['miter' \| 'round' \| 'bevel']
`transform`	a `matplotlib.transforms.Transform` instance
`url`	a url string
`visible`	bool
`xdata`	1D array
`ydata`	1D array
`zorder`	float

Notes

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

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'.