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I am looking for thorn bushes for 28mm models. (Not cacti, or alien thorn things. Just plain old thorn bushes.) Does anyone make them? Is there a way to create them yourself? My first thought was pipe cleaners, but they are too big. Maybe thin wire with little bits glued on would do.

http://www.sceneryexpress.com/products.asp?dept=1286

I suppose those could work in a pinch. I was hoping for something more prickly, without leaves.

How about green 3M abrasive pads/kitchen scouring scrubbers (I want to call them sponges, but they aren't, really)? 15mm/microarmor wargamers have been using them in strips as hedgerows for decades. They don't have thorns, per se, but they're quite a bit more scraggly than clump foliage, while remaining dense. Tease the edges out a bit and I think they'd make for decent twisted, prickly growth. If you need thorns, a few clipped toothpick tips painted in a contrasting color would give an exaggerated, but immediately recognizable, sense.

I think that Oadie is on the right track. Scrubbers are a nice material for bushes and at 28mm there's really no way to differentiate thorn bushes from similar bushes without thorns.

Alternatively have you looked at Lichen or floral moss? They are a classic bush and foliage material for model railroaders though they aren't going to be as sturdy as scrubbers.

Ah, almost forgot about that stuff, which I've also heard referred to as "reindeer moss". It has a similar feel, being very dense, wiry, and crooked, but looks more realistic than the "uniformly random" scrubbers, as the scale varies naturally (the growth pattern is similar throughout, but thicker, sparser bases give way to finer and denser tops). I haven't used any of mine for gaming, yet, so I can't comment on durability, but I imagine Eilif is correct. Then again, if you avoid parking tanks on top of the bushes regularly, I don't imagine that would be too much of an issue. If you plan to, though, I might opt for the scrubber pads or at least include some stiffer elements scattered throughout (broken trees, rocks, etc.) to bear the brunt of the abuse.

Thank you for the suggestions they were right on the mark. In searching for floral moss, I came across natural Spanish moss. It was just what I wanted. Specifically it has that viney look with no foliage that I desired.