             || (_minDate == null && value == null))
             return;
         
-        _minDate = new Date(value.time);
+        _minDate = value != null ? new Date(value.time) : value;
         populateYearDataProvider = true;
         populateDateDataProvider = true;
         minDateChanged = true;

            || (_maxDate == null && value == null))
            return;

        _maxDate = new Date(value.time);
        populateYearDataProvider = true;
        populateDateDataProvider = true;
        maxDateChanged = true;

        var labelWidth:Number;
        for (var i:int = 0; i < list.length; i++)
        {
            // note: measureText() measures UITextField while our labels will be
            // shown in StyleableTextField, but that's okay because we're only
            // looking for the text that is relatively longest in the list
            labelWidth = measureText(list[i].label).width;
            if (labelWidth > maxWidth)
            {
