They grow naturally across eastern Australia, from south–eastern New South Wales northwards to northern and inland Queensland, in rainforests and humid eucalypt forests.

Divided into segments radially, they eventually split open to reveal bright red 0.5 cm seeds from November to April.

[1] The species was originally described by Swiss botanist Johannes Müller Argoviensis in 1865 as Phyllanthus ferdinandi before being given its current binomial name by Frederick Manson Bailey in 1902.

[5] The hairy cheese tree grows with magenta lilly pilly (Syzygium paniculatum), broad-leaved paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia), and Rhodomyrtus species.

[3] The fruits are eaten by several bird species, including the Australasian figbird (Sphecotheres vieilloti), Lewin's honeyeater, (Meliphaga lewinii), olive-backed oriole (Oriolus sagittatus), white-headed pigeon (Columba leucomela),[6] topknot pigeon (Lopholaimus antarcticus), brown cuckoo-dove (Macropygia phasianella), and Australian king parrot (Alisterus scapularis).

[7] The pied currawong (Strepera graculina) also eats the fruit but regurgitates them, while new leafy growth is eaten by the rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus).

G. ferdinandi is unusual (although not unique) among species of Glochidion in that the fruit contain empty carpel chambers within which E. colymbetella caterpillars pupate, and adult moths emerge.